A Beautiful Disaster
by Slaygal23
Summary: When Damon Kills Lexi he had no idea who would be coming to Mystic Falls to find her. *Feedback, Please. Let me know what you guys think.*
1. Prologue

_***I do not own Buffy or The Vampire Diaries***_

* * *

As Damon drove the stake through Lexi's heart, she looked at him with tears and confusion in her eyes.

"Why?" Lexi asked.

"It's part of the plan." He whispers.

As he watched Lexi Die, he had no idea of the hell that he had just unleashed upon himself and Mystic Falls.

* * *

Halfway across the world in Madrid, Spain a girl sits up in her bed, gasping for air and clutching her chest, right above her heart. She had been sleeping peacefully in her bed, in her hotel room, when she suddenly had a gut wrenching feeling and her heart started hurting.

She jumped out of her bed and started to rush around her hotel room, frantically packing up her belongings. She rapidly dressed and rushed out of the room. She turned her room key in at the front desk and asked the doorman to hail her a cab. Once she was seated in the backseat of the cab and on her way to the airport, she pulled out her cellphone and hit #1 on her speed-dial. The phone on the other end went straight to voicemail. The young girl listened to the message as it played out.

"Lexi, it's me. Please call me back as soon as you get this. I have a really bad feeling and I'm hoping that I'm wrong. You calling me back would really prove me wrong and we both know how much you love to do that. So please call me."

She hit end on her phone, sat back and closed her eyes. She really hoped she was wrong, but part of her already knew that she wasn't. Part of her knew that something really bad had happened to Lexi.

Once she arrived at the airport she walked up to the ticket desk. She looked into the man's eyes who was working at the desk and in a very slow and monotone voice she said, "I need a one-way first class ticket to Richmond, Virginia."

"Yes Ma'am. First class, one-way,Richmond, Virginia. That will be..."

"Free."

"Free, yes. Here is your ticket Miss. Your flight leaves in exactly one hour. Gate 48B."

"Thank you. Forget that we ever had this conversation."

"I will forget this conversation."

With a nod of her head, she headed off to find her flight.


	2. The Blonde

She walked into the Mystic Grill with one purpose. Find Stefan Salvatore. She knew that Lexi had been here to see him and so she intended to ask him if he knew where Lexi was. She walked up to the bar and took a seat.

The young bartender walked over to her and gave her a shy smile. "What can I get you?"

She looked him over. He was young and fairly cute, with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. She smiled back. "Whiskey Sour."

As the bartender went to make her drink, she took a moment to look around the place. Her eyes automatically landed on the front door, or more accurately, the person who just walked in.

Dark brown, almost black hair, stricking blue eyes, full pouty lips, toned body, black t-shirt, dark jeans, black biker boots and a black leather jacket. He was by far one of the sexiest men she had ever seen. As she was still looking him over, green eyes connected with blue and he gave her a smirk before sitting a few seats down from her.

* * *

 **Damon's POV:**

As soon as he walked into the Grill he noticed her. How could he not?! She was gorgeous. Long golden blonde hair, big green eyes, pouty red lips and an amazing body, from what he could see of it anyway. She was wearing tight jeans, black leather heeled boots, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. He noticed her checking him out, so he decided to stand still for awhile longer. And then her eyes connected with his. He expected her to look startled or embarrassed, hell he expected at least a blush, but no, she just kept on looking at him. _'Hmm interesting.'_ he thought. He gave her his trademark smirk. He walked towards the bar and sat a few seats down from her and ordered a bourbon.

 **End Damon's POV.**

* * *

He was staring at her. She could feel his eyes on her. She turned and looked at him. He gave her another smirk. She tilted her head and raised her right eyebrow. "What?" She asked.

This just seemed to make him smirk more, if that was possible. "You're new." He said.

"How'd you guess that?" She asked sarcastically.

"Cause I've never seen you before. And I assure you that I would definitely remember you." He grinned and winked at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Great line Casanova, you use it often?"

Damon laughed and slid down a few seats so that they were now side by side. "No one's ever called me out on it before."

"Well now you can mark that off your list."

He grinned and turned his body so that he was facing her. He reached his hand out. "Damon Salvatore."

She turned her body towards him as well. "Buffy Summers."She went to shake his hand, but Damon turned her hand and raised it to his lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles.

"Pleasure to meet you Miss. Summers." He purred.

"The pleasure is all mine MR. Salvatore **."** She turned back towards the bar and took a sip of her drink. She looked back at Damon. "Salvatore? Any relation to Stefan Salvatore?"

Damon looked at her, eyes narrowing slightly. "He's my little brother. Why?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "He's an old friend, haven't seen him in awhile."

Damon leaned in close to Buffy, his lips almost touching hers. "You know Stefan?"

"Yes. Do you happen to know where I can find him?"

"He's probably home. We live at the old Salvatore Boarding House."

"Great. Maybe I'll stop by." And with that she stood up and walked out of the grill.

Damon downed the rest of his drink and rushed out of the Grill. He looked around once he was outside, but she was gone. "Damnit!" He rushed to his car and speed off towards the boarding house.

* * *

Damon rushed inside the house, he spotted Stefan instantly, sitting on the couch reading. Stefan looked up at Damon. "What?"

Damon walked over towards the drink cart and poured himself a drink, before turning towards Stefan. "Do you know someone named Buffy Summers?"

Stefan thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No, why?"

"Oh, because she says she knows you. Said you two were old friends and that she might 'stop by'."

Stefan looked confussed. "I don't know her. Where did you see her?"

"The Grill. We had a nice little... Chat."

Stefan stood up. "What did you talk about? What does she look like?"

Before Damon could answer him, someone interupted.

"Like this."

Both Damon and Stefan turned to look at the person who had just spoken. Damon was the first to speak. "Hello, Buffy." He leered at her.

"Damon." Buffy said, barely sparing him a glance.

Stefan looked between the two. His gaze finally settled on Buffy. "My brother says that you know me."

Buffy shook her head. "I lied. I know of you though."

Stefan looked at her skeptically. "How?"

"We have a friend in common."

"Ok, I'll bite. Who's the friend?"

"Lexi."

Stefan cast a glance at Damon, but Damon was too busy looking at Buffy. "You know Lexi?" Damon asked.

Buffy nodded her head and walked further into the room. "Yup. That's actually why I'm here."

Stefan cast a suspicious look towards Buffy. "What do you mean?"

" Well last I heard from her, was that she was coming here to see you, then she was going to see Bon Jovi. She called me the night she arrived in Mystic Falls and said that after her concert, she was going to join me in Madrid. I haven't heard from her since." Buffy said.

Stefan shot a pointed look at Damon. Damon simply rolled his eyes and turned his attention back towards Buffy. "Maybe she's kicking back with Bon Jovi and some O Positive. I mean this is Lexi we're talking about, she likes to live it up and have fun." Damon said.

Buffy narrowed her eyes and took a menacing step towards Damon. "You know something."

Damon's eyes widened slightly and he fought the urge to take a few steps back. "I don't know what you're talking about." he managed to get out. Buffy took another step towards Damon and leaned in so that they were almost touching. She looked into his eyes, searching for something. After a few moments she seemed to have found whatever it was that she was looking for. Her eyes hardened, her muscles tensed and her hands balled into fists at her sides.

Stefan noticed the change in the blonde the second it happened. He took a step in her direction. "Buffy..." He started. It was no use, in the span of a few seconds, Buffy had Damon pinned to the wall, with her hand around his throat. She moved so fast that Stefan couldn't even believe what had just happened.

"What did you do?!" Buffy screamed.

Damon tried to pull her hand away from his neck, but she was too strong. He looked towards Stefan. "Stefan, a little help here!" He motioned to Buffy with one of his hands. Stefan ran towards her, but as soon as he got close enough, Buffy backhanded him with her free hand. Stefan went flying across the room and landed hard on the floor.

Damon looked from Stefan to Buffy, his eyes widening in shock. "How did you... What are you?" He asked.

Buffy tightened her grip on his throat. "What did you do to Lexi? Where is she?!"

Damon started to speak, but her grip was too tight, so she loosened it some. "She's not here." He gasped.

Buffy pulled him forward and slammed him back into the wall, the dry wall cracking from the force. "Where is she?" She growled.

"She's dead."

Buffy whirled around to look at Stefan. She maneuvered her body so that she could look at Stefan and still keep Damon pinned to the wall. "What do you mean she's dead?" She asked.

"I mean exactly what I just said. She's dead. Lexi is dead." Stefan said.

Buffy was fighting hard to keep the tears pooling in her eyes, from falling. "What... What happened?" She managed to ask.

Stefan looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. He knew how she was feeling right now. He had felt the same way as he watched Damon shove that stake through Lexi's heart. "Let Damon go and we can talk about all of this. Ok?"

Buffy looked from Stefan to Damon and back to Stefan. She shook her head. **"** No. No, you tell me what happened to her. You tell me now!" She said frantically.

Stefan sighed and looked past her at Damon. Damon shook his head no. Stefan knew that he couldn't tell her how Lexi died, not while she had Damon pinned to the wall. "Buffy..." He started, while walking towards her. He held his hands up in front of him, showing her that he meant her no harm. "Buffy, listen to me. Let him go and we'll talk ok? Please. I'll tell you everything. I'll tell you what happened, just let Damon go first." Stefan said calmly.

Buffy looked at Stefan for a few moments and then she turned and looked at Damon. She looked as though she was struggling with herself, debating on if she should let him go, or not. After what seemed like hours, she finally nodded her head, still looking at Damon, she said "Ok." She said it so softly and quietly that Damon wasn't sure she'd actually said anything. Then she let him go and took a step back from him.

Damon started to cough and gasp as he rubbed his sore and no doubt bruised neck. "Man you're strong!" He said. "I think you might have actually crushed my windpipe." He wheezed and looked at Buffy accusingly.

Buffy didn't even spare him a glance. She was looking at Stefan. "I let him go." She stated the fact and motioned at Damon.

Stefan nodded his head. "Thank you."

Buffy just stared at him. "Tell me."

Stefan spared a quick glance at Damon, who was still rubbing his neck. He looked back at Buffy and sighed. **"** I need you to agree to something first."

Buffy shook her head. "No. That was not the deal. You said for me to let him go and you would tell me what happened to Lexi. Well I let him go. I held up my end and now you need to pay up on yours. So you can either start talking or I will rip your brother's throat out." She growled.

Stefan took a few steps towards Damon. All the while keeping his eyes on Buffy. "I will. Buffy, I promise that I will tell you what you want to know. I just need you to promise me something first."

He stared at her, silently pleading with her. Finally she relented and nodded her head. "Fine."

Stefan smiled slightly. "I need you to promise me that you won't kill Damon after I tell you what you want to know."

Buffy looked over at Damon, her eyes narrowing. "Why? What did he do?"

"I need you to promise me, or no deal."

"How do you know that I won't kill him anyway? Even if I do promise you that I won't, how do you know that I'll actually keep my promise?" She asked.

"I know you won't. Lexi would have never have been friends with someone who wouldn't keep their word. So, do we have a deal or not?"

Buffy sighed. Throwing her head back and looking up at the ceiling, she huffed. "Fine!" She looked back at Stefan and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "We have a deal. I promise that I won't kill Damon. Happy?"

Stefan smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Whatever. Start Talking."

* * *

Buffy was sitting on the couch, staring at the floor. Stefan had just finished telling her about how Lexi had died. Died? No that wasn't right, murdered was more accurate. Damon had murdered her. Of course Stefan had stressed that Damon had killed Lexi in order to get the council off of their trial. _'Why her? Why Lexi?'_ she thought.

Stefan poured some bourbon into a glass and handed it to Buffy. "Here." He had told Damon to leave the house for awhile, so that he could tell Buffy everything about Lexi. She didn't even look at him as she took the glass from him and knocked the drink back in one shot. Stefan looked at her with sympathy and understanding in his eyes. "Can I ask you something?" He asked her. She looked at him and simply nodded. "How did you know Lexi? I just mean... She never mentioned you."

Buffy smiled slightly. "No she wouldn't have. That was Lexi though. Always full of surprises." Stefan continued to look at her. Waiting patiently for her to continue. Buffy sighed. "I made her."

Stefan's eyes widened and his mouth was slightly hanging open from shock. "You, you made her?"

Buffy nodded her head. "Yup. I turned her."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I was lonely. I had been on my own for awhile. And then I met her. We just clicked. You know? She was like a sister to me. I loved her. I told her what I was, showed her. She didn't care. She said that she wanted me to make her like me. She wanted to travel with me and have fun together, forever. So I turned her." Buffy said. She looked at the floor, getting this far away look on her face as she got lost in her memories. "She was always so full of life. She was so care-free and she just had this way about her, that even if you were having the absolute worst day, she could make you laugh. This one time we were in Paris and Lexi wanted to race all the way to the top of the Eifel Tower, so we did. I won. Then we proceeded to get drunk and somehow we ended up completely naked on top of the Eifel Tower." She started to laugh at the memory.

Stefan laughed with her. "Yeah that sounds like her. She got me drunk for my birthday one year and I ended up on the tourch of The Statue Of Liberty."

Buffy grinned. "That's definitely Lexi."

"So what are you going to do now?" Stefan asked.

Buffy looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"Where are you going to go now?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. I mean I came here to find Lexi, there was really no plan beyond that."

"Well you could always stay here until you figure out your next move." Stefan suggested.

Buffy raised her eyebrows at him. "What about Damon?"

"What about him?"

"He killed her, Stefan."

Stefan sighed. **"** I know he did. I am so sorry. Lexi was my friend too Buffy and I miss her. I think you should stay here though. We could get to know each other. I mean we were both friends with Lexi for awhile, so we already have that in common. I don't know about you, but I could really use another friend. I'll make sure Damon leaves you alone."

Buffy thought about it for a few moments. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. So... What do you say?"

Buffy smiled a huge smile. "All right. I'll do it."

Stefan smiled back at her. "Great. Come on. I'll help you go and get your stuff. Then you can come back and pick out a room."

Buffy jumped up from the couch and headed towards the front door with Stefan. "Sounds good." She said.


	3. Katherine

The next morning Buffy woke up and replayed the events of the previous night, in her head. Stefan had gone to her hotel room with her and helped her pack all of her clothes. Then they came back to the house and she had picked out her bedroom. Then Stefan cooked a late dinner for the two of them. Damon didn't come back. Buffy had to admit, she actually had fun hanging out with Stefan. With that thought, she got out of bed and headed towards her bathroom. She showered and brushed her teeth. Wrapping a towel around herself, she exited the bathroom.

"Good Morning Buffy. Have a nice shower?"

"Ahh!" Buffy yelped and jumped a little in surprise. Damon was sprawled out casually on her bed. She hadn't even seen him. "What the hell are you doing?" She snapped at him.

"I came to apologize to you."

Buffy stared at him. "Apologize?"

He nodded. "Yes. Apologize. For killing Lexi. I liked her, I did and I am very sorry that I killed her, but there's this council of wannabe vampire hunters and they were real close to figuring us out, so I had to throw them off of our trail..."

"Hmm... ever think that maybe they were on your trail because you were killing people?"

"Ouch, that hurt."

"Why Lexi? Why not some other Vampire?"

"There aren't any more around here."

"Hey here's a thought, you could've just turned yourself in."

"That wouldn't be very productive."

"So that's your entire apology? You killed Lexi, because you were killing people and you needed a Patsy? Oh, but you're real sorry you killed her."

"Hey, I also brought coffee." He grinned.

"Wow. You are unbelievable you know that. I mean, could you at least try to be sincere?"

"I am being sincere. Come on, you don't even know me."

"I don't want to know you."

"Oh come on. Who are you going to hang out with? Stefan? Please, he's too broody to be any fun. I don't even think he remembers how to have fun. Me on the other hand, am tons of fun."

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Hmm... Gee I don't know, maybe because you killed my best friend."

"I apologized!"

"Unbelievable. Where's Stefan?"

"He went to school."

"You're kidding?"

Damon shook his head. "Nope, it's all part of his wanting to have a normal life."

"Huh. Weird."

"I agree. So what are we doing today?"

"We" Buffy gestured between Damon and herself. "Are not doing anything. I however will be going into town. I haven't been here in awhile, so I want to explore."

"Look we're living in the same house. Could you at least try to get to know me?"

"No. I don't like people who kill my friends."

Damon rolled his eyes. "You're not going to change your mind are you?"

"Not even a little bit."

"Fine." Damon started to leave her room. He paused at her door. "Just so you know, I like a challenge." He gave her a smirk and left the room.

Buffy slammed the door and went to her closet.

* * *

Buffy walked into the house and found Stefan sitting on the couch with a pretty brunette girl. "Hey." She said.

Stefan smiled at her. "Hey. Buffy this is my girlfriend, Elena. Elena, this is Buffy."

Buffy gave a small wave in Elena's direction. "Hi, Elena. It's nice to meet you."

Elena smiled. "You too, Buffy. Stefan's talked about you all day."

"All good I hope."

Elena laughed. "Of course. Well, Stefan I should go home. I'll talk to you later. It was nice to meet you, Buffy."

"You too."

"I'll walk you to your car." Stefan said.

Buffy sat down on the now empty couch. Stefan walked back inside and sat down next to her. "So Elena's your girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

"You do know that she looks exactly like a certain vampire named Katherine right?"

Stefan looked at Buffy, obviously shocked. "You know Katherine?"

"Of course. I've been around a very long time Stefan. I know a lot of people. Including that bitch."

"Elena's not Katherine. She may look like her, but she's not her."

Buffy just looked at Stefan for a few moments. "You love her."

"Yes. I do."

"Ok."

Stefan smiled. "Elena doesn't know about Katherine so..."

Buffy nodded. "Got it. My lips are sealed."

"Thanks. So did Damon bother you today?"

"He did this morning."

"I'm sorry."

"I can handle Damon."

"Good to know. Is he here?"

"No he left before I did. He said something about running an errand."

"Well you want to go grab something to eat with me?"

"Sure."

* * *

As soon as they left the house Stefan's cell phone started ringing. So now they were standing on Elena's front porch. "Thanks for coming. I wouldn't have called if it wasn't important." Elena said.

Stefan nodded. "I know that."

"He threatened her, Stefan."

"What would Damon want with Bonnie?"

"Who's Bonnie?" Buffy asked.

"She's my best friend." Elena said. **"** She has this necklace. Caroline got it from Damon and she gave it to Bonnie and now Damon wants it back. He's tormenting her."

"Over a necklace?" Stefan asked.

"It's not just any necklace. It has to do with Bonnie's heritage. It belonged to one of her ancestors who lived here during the Civil War. When you and Damon lived here."

"Her heritage?" Buffy asked.

"Bonnie's family came here from the Salem Witch Trials." Elena explained.

"Oh. Ok." Buffy said.

"Her name was Emily. She was Katherine's handmaid and witch." Stefan said.

"You know?" Elena asked. "About Bonnie?"

"The first night that you invited me over for dinner, I made the connection."

"Well now Damon knows too and for some reason he wants that necklace."

"What does it look like?" Buffy asked.

"It's an antique iron setting with..."

"With an amber crystal. I know it. It belonged to Katherine. Emily gave it to her, which means that..."

"What?" Elena asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Let me talk to Damon."

"Will he tell you?" Elena asked?

"I'll get it out of him."

"If you can't, then I can." Buffy said.

"We can tag team him." Stefan said.

* * *

Buffy and Stefan had found Damon at the Grill. After a round of darts they left. Now they were walking onto the high school football field. "What are we doing here? Bonding? Catch?" Damon asked. "Go on."

"Give it a try." Stefan said.

"Don't forget who taught you how to play this game." Damon threw the ball. He charged after it and caught it at the other end. Stefan kocked him to the ground, hard. "That hurt." Damon moaned.

"Downside of my diet." Stefan said. "Getting hit actually hurts."

"I'm impressed Stefan. Fun with booze and darts, sentimental with football and now a starry night." Damon looked up at Buffy. "Care to join me down here?"

"Nope. I'm good up here."

"Oh, come on."

"It wasn't real Damon. Our love for Katherine. She compelled us. We didn't have a choice. Took me a long time to sort that out. To truly understand what she did to us." Stefan said.

"We are not taking that on tonight." Damon said as he stood up.

"What do you want with the necklace?" Buffy asked.

"How do you know about that?"

"Come on, you knew Elena would tell me." Said Stefan. "So what do you want with Katherine's crystal?"

"How do you know it was Katherine's? Emily gave it to her on her last night. I was with her and you weren't."

"I was the last one to see her Damon. Now, what do you want with Katherine's crystal?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"We had other things on our mind."

Damon was suddenly standing in front of Stefan. "I could rip your heart out and not think twice about it."

"I've heard that before."

"I have a bigger surprise Stefan. I'm going to bring her back." Damon started to walk away.

Buffy and Stefan shared a look before they started following Damon. "How can you bring Katherine back?" Buffy asked.

"Before Katherine and the others were killed in the church, do you remember what it was like in this town?"

"I remember the fear and the hysteria." Stefan said.

"Townspeople were killing vampires one by one. When they came for Katherine, I went to Emily. I said, _'I'll do anything. Name your price. Just protect her.'_ She did."

"How?"

"She did some kind of spell with the crystal. And while the church was burning, we thought Katherine was burning in it. She wasn't."

"But I saw her go inside."

"There's a tomb underneath the church. The spell sealed Katherine in that tomb, protecting her."

"Are you telling me that Katherine's alive?"

Damon snorted. "If that's what you wanna call it. She's been trapped in a mystical holding cell for the last century and a half, but you're an expert on starving a vampire, so how do you think she's doing Stefan? Did you know that witches can use celestial events to draw energy into their magic? Me either, but in order to give the crystal power, Emily used the comet that was passing overhead. So in order for that crystal to work again..."

"The comet had to return."

"Downside... Long time in between comets. And a couple of hiccups along the way with the crystal, but the comet passed and I got the crystal. And then Caroline got the crystal and now Bonnie has the crystal. And here we are."

"Why would Emily...Why would she do this for you?" Stefan asked.

"Because she knew they were going to come for her too and she made me promise that her lineage would survive."

Stefan nodded. "I remember. You saved her children."

"It's the only thing keeping me from ripping that little Bonnie girl's throat out to get my crystal back. Well, a deal's a deal. So, you wanna go throw some more?"

Stefan's phone started ringing. He moved off to the side to answer it.

Damon looked at Buffy. "You've been very quiet throughout all of this."

"Just trying to process the fact that you want to rescue that crazy bitch." Buffy said.

"You know Katherine?"

"Yup." "Buffy nodded. "She's a psycho bitch."

"You don't know her like I do."

Buffy rolled her eyes and looked at Stefan as he hung up. "Where's Damon?" Buffy looked around, but Damon was gone. "Damnit! He must've heard my conversation."

"What's going on?"

"Emily in possessing Bonnie."

"The dead witch?"

"Yeah."

"Let's find her before Damon does."


	4. Broken Deals

"Hello Emily." Damon said as he walked towards Bonnie. "You look different."

"I won't let you do it." She said.

Damon narrowed his eyes. "We had a deal."

"Things are different now. I need to protect my family."

"I protected your family. You owe me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're about to be a lot more than that." Damon growled. He moved to attack her, but she threw her hand out, tossing Damon across the woods and impaling him on a tree branch. Buffy found Damon first. She reached up and pulled him down. "Oh, that hurts!" Damon yelled. "This is why I feed on people."

Stefan finally reached Buffy and Damon. He looked over and saw Emily drawing a pentagram in the dirt. She looked up. "Stefan." She said.

"Hello Emily." Stefan said calmly.

"These people don't deserve this. They should never have to know such evil."

Stefan looked at her, confusion in his eyes. "What do you mean evil?"

"Emily... I swear to God, I'll make you regret this." Damon gasped out.

"I won't let you unleash them into this world."

"Them?" Stefan asked.

Buffy turned to look at Damon. **"What part of the story did you leave out, Damon?"** She asked.

"What does it matter?"

"Emily tell me what you did." Stefan said.

"To save her...I had to save them." She said.

Stefan's eyes widened. "You saved everyone in the church?" he asked.

"With one comes all."

"I don't care about them." Damon said, as he tried to stand up. He grabbed onto Stefan for support. "I just want Katherine."

Stefan turned and grabbed Damon by his jacket, pulling him close, so that they were eye to eye. "I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that comes out of your mouth. This isn't about love, is it? This is about revenge."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive?" Damon asked.

"Damon you can't do this." Stefan said.

"Why not?" Damon yelled. "They killed 27 people, they called it a war battle. They deserve whatever they get!" He spat.

"27 vampires Damon." Buffy said.

"They were vampires, you can't just bring them back." Stefan said.

"This town deserves this."

"You're blaming innocent people for something that happened 145 years ago!" Stefan argued.

"There is nothing innocent about these people and don't you think for a second that it won't happen again! They already know too much and they'll burn your little grand-witch right next to us when they find out. Trust me."

"Things are different now." Emily said.

"Don't do this." Damon begged.

"I can't free them. I won't."

"No." Damon whispered.

"Incendia!" Emily screamed. The pentagram caught fire.

"No! No, no please!" Damon pleaded.

"Bonnie!" Elena screamed. Stefan ran over and grabbed her before she got to Bonnie.

Emily threw the necklace up in the air. "No!" Damon cried. The necklace exploded. The flames died out and Emily left Bonnie's body. Damon growled and rushed towards Bonnie. He grabbed her and sank his teeth into her throat.

Bonnie started screaming in pain and fear.

Buffy grabbed Damon from behind and pulled him off of Bonnie. She held him in a headlock while Stefan and Elena checked on Bonnie. "You move and I'll rip your head off. Got it?" She growled.

"She's alive, but barely. I can save her." Stefan said. He bit into his wrist and held it over Bonnie's mouth.

"Her neck, it's healing." Elena said.

"Stefan, you and Elena need to get Bonnie to Elena's car." Buffy said.

Elena and Stefan nodded. They both helped Bonnie to the car.

Buffy let Damon go. "You need to go home. Now." She said.

Damon nodded and left.

* * *

Buffy had just showered and changed into a grey tank top and black yoga shorts. She was climbing into bed, when someone knocked on her door. "Come in." She called. Damon opened the door and shut it behind him. He walked over and sat down at the end of Buffy's bed. "What do you want Damon?" She sighed.

"Stefan was wrong today. About what he said at the football field. Katherine never compelled me. I knew everything. Every step of the way." He said. "It was real for me." He whispered.

"So you did all of this for love?"

"Love or revenge, what does it matter now?"

"Did you love her?"

He sighed and looked at her. "Yes. I loved her. I think a part of me still does."

"I'm sorry that you couldn't bring her back."

Damon looked into her eyes and saw nothing but sincerity in them. "Thank you." He looked around her room and saw that all of her suitcases were packed. **"** You going somewhere?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm taking Stefan to China with me."

"You're taking Stefan?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes. He broke up with Elena tonight and he needs to get out of Mystic Falls for awhile."

"I'm way more fun than Stefan."

"Ah, yes, but you're forgetting the fact that I don't like you."

Damon clutched his unbeating heart. "Why must you hurt me so?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Goodnight Damon."

He stood up and walked towards the door. "Goodnight Buffy." He said as he closed the door.

* * *

"Good morning, Damon." Stefan said, as he and Buffy walked into the living room.

"So, any ideas where you'll go?" Buffy asked **Damon.**

Damon shrugged. "I don't know. London, maybe. See some friends."

"You don't have any friends, Damon." Stefan said.

"You're right Stefan, I only have you. So where are we going?"

"We are not going anywhere. I'm gonna live my life as far away from you as possible."

"But we're a team! We could travel the world together. We could try out for 'The Amazing Race." Damon said grinning.

"Mmm, that's funny. Seriously where ya going, because we're not staying in this town."

Just then the doorbell rang. Stefan walked over and opened it. It was the Sheriff. "I'm here to see Damon." She said.

"Uh, sure...ok." Stefan said.

"Sheriff, what a surprise." Damon said, as he walked up beside of Stefan.

"Sorry to bother you, but we need to talk."

"Come in."

She walked inside and Damon closed the door behind her. She saw Buffy and all of the suitcases. "Oh, are you going somewhere?"

"No, Buffy just got in from Madrid." Damon said. "Buffy Summers this is Liz Forbes, the Sheriff. Sheriff, this is Buffy Summers. She's an old friend."

The sheriff smiled at Buffy. "Nice to meet you."

Buffy smiled back and nodded her head. "You too."

"Shall we take a walk?" Damon asked the sheriff. He led her out into the gardens.

While Damon and the sheriff were talking, Buffy looked at Stefan and frowned. "I guess China's going to have to wait huh?"

Stefan gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry."

Damon and the sheriff walked back inside. "Thank you for stopping by." Damon said.

"Let me know what you come up with." The sheriff said.

"Absolutly." Damon said as he shut the door.

Stefan slammed Damon against the wall as soon as the door was shut. "What is wrong with you? You killed somebody?"

Damon shoved Stefan off. "Get off of me! A. Don't touch me... B. If I had, I would not have been so obvious about it... and C. there's another vampire in town."

"That's impossible."

"Obviously not!"

"Who could it be?" Buffy asked.

"What do we care?"Damon asked. "We're leaving anyway. Right?"

"Nope." Buffy said.

"We definitely can't leave now." Stefan said. "How are we supposed to find them?"

"I can track their scent." Buffy said.

"What are you, part bloodhound?" Damon asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Vampires have a different scent. Once you've been around long enough you learn new tricks."

Stefan nodded. "All right. So Buffy will track them."


	5. A new vamp in town

Hours later Buffy stood outside, looking up at the old Fell warehouse. She sniffed the air around her, double checking to make sure that this was the right place. She could smell a vampire and something else, blood and decomposing bodies. _'Yup'_ she thought, _'This is the place.'_ She walked up to the door and checked the handle. _'Locked.'_ She grabbed the handle in one hand and pulled, breaking the lock. She opened the door and walked inside.

As soon as she walked inside a man stepped out in front of her. She didn't even have a chance to move before he shot her. He shot her four times. Hitting her in the stomach, right shoulder, chest and left thigh.

Buffy fell to the ground. "Ahh!" She screamed in pain.

The man walked around her. "Who are you?" He asked.

"You shot me and THEN you ask me who I am?! You first asshole!" She spat.

The man waved his gun at her. "I have tons of these wooden bullets. Soo...nothing funky."

"Well obviously you know what I am. So I don't really think my names important."

He raised his gun up and shot her again.

"Oww! Ow! Shit! What is your problem!?"

"That's what you get."

"For what?"

"I've been watching you. I know that you've been hanging out with the Salvatore brothers. I know what you are and I know what they are. So, I have a few questions." He said, as he squatted down in front of her.

"Me first." She said. "What's your name?"

"Logan Fell."

"Who turned you?"

"How should I know!" He stood up. "Last thing I remember is, I'm about to stake Stefan and then Damon grabbed me. That's it. Until I wake up, in the ground, behind a used car dealership. Somebody burried me."

"It happens." she said, as she dug a bullet out.

"Damon bit me. It had to of been him. He turned me."

"You have to have vampire blood in your system when you die, in order to turn. You were about to kill Stefan. Somehow, I can't see Damon jumping at the chance to turn you."

"Then who?"

"That's what I wanna know."

"It wasn't like the welcome wagon was waiting with a bunt cake and a handbook. It's been a learn as you go process. You know? One minute, I'm a small town on the rise news guy. Next thing I know, I can't get into my house, because my foot won't go through the door!"

"You have to be invited in." she said. Giving him a face that clearly said 'Duh'.

"I know. I live alone."

"Ah." She grinned. "That, that sucks." She laughed.

"Yeah. so now I'm living at the Ramata, watching paperview, eating everything in sight! Including housekeeping!"

"It could be worse." She gritted out, as she dug two more bullets out.

"All I can think about is blood. And killing people. I keep killing people. And I like it."

"The cops only found one body."

"I left one, I was tired. I've been hiding the rest. They're right back there." He motioned behind him.

"You've gotta be kidding." She groaned.

"They've just been piling up."

"Oh great. You're a hoarder!"

"Why am I so overly emotional? All I can think about is my ex-girlfriend. I wanna be with her and bite her and stuff."

"Well here's a dumb thought, you probably love her. Whatever you felt before will be magnified now. You need to learn how to control that."

"What about walking in the sun? I'm a morning person."

"Vampires can't walk in the sun. It's bad for our health."

"You and both of the Salvatores can. Which is pretty cool."

"I'm special."

"Come on! How can you walk around in the sun?"

"Who turned you?"

"How do you walk in the sun!"

"Who turned you?"

"You know" he said, standing up. "I've been really nice so far, but I will kill you!" He pointed the gun at her.

"Then you'll never know." She said, standing up as well. "You're not answering my question."

"You first!"

"It seems that we're at a bit of an impasse then, doesn't it?"

"I have things to do. People to kill. I'll be needing a head start." He shot her three more times and then he turned and ran out.

"Ah! Ow!" Buffy groaned, as she fell back on the ground.

"Buffy?"

She turned her head and saw Damon running towards her.

"Oh good! Help me get these damn bullets out."

"What happened? Who shot you?"

"The vampire we're all looking for. Logan Fell, you know him?"

"He used to be the news guy, but he's dead."

"No, now he's a vampire. Wouldn't say who turned him though."

"Which way did he go?" Damon asked.

"Gee I don't know. I was a little busy getting shot!"

"How did he manage to shoot you anyways? You're way stronger and faster than him. You should've been able to take him down, no problem."

"He surprised me."

"Uh huh. Well this is great. We have a new vampire and a famous face. This is gonna work out." Damon grumbled.

"You need to call Stefan. Give him a heads up."

Damon pulled out his cell phone and dialed Stefan's number.

"Damon." Stefan said on the other end of the line.

"Logan Fell's a vampire."

"And when I find him again, I'm gonna destroy him, limb by limb!" Buffy yelled.

"What happened? Are you and Buffy ok?" Stefan asked.

"I'm fine..." Damon started.

"No, I'm not ok!" Buffy screeched. "I was ambushed! I was shot! Multiple times! Now I'm vengeful! I've just got to find him."

"Tell her there's no need. He's here at the school." Stefan said.

"You're kidding me? Why the hell is he there?" Damon asked.

"He's working the crowd."

"Well..." Damon started.

"We'll be right there." Buffy finished.

Damon rolled his eyes. "What she said." He hung up.

"Let's go." Buffy said.

* * *

Later that night Buffy was sitting on the couch reading, she looked up as Damon walked in.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He was frowning and had this look of disappointment in his eyes. "Someone killed Logan Fell." he said.

"Who?"

"I don't know. He was going to tell me who turned him. He said that they could help me get into the tomb. Help me get Katherine back."

"Damon..."

"And now he's dead."

"Damon, you don't even know if he was telling you the truth."

"How else would he have known about Katherine? About the tomb?"

"I don't know."

"I just..." Damon sighed.

"Come on." Buffy said, standing up. She held her hand out to him.

He looked from her hand, to her face. "Where are we going?"

"We are going to take a walk. You need to clear your head."

Damon looked at her hand skeptically.

Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Come on. I promise, this isn't a trick or a trap."

"Then what is it?" Damon asked her honestly.

Buffy thought it over for a second. "Consider it a peace offering."

Damon smiled. "A peace offering?"

Buffy nodded. "Yes. A truce. Now come on."

Damon grinned and took her hand.

* * *

They had been walking through the woods for almost an hour when they heard the sounds of a crash. Then they heard a scream.

"That's Elena." Damon said.

They both ran towards the scream. They saw a man in a black hoodie approaching Elena's overturned car. He ran off as soon as he saw Damon and Buffy.

Damon ran over to Elena. "How ya doing in there?" he asked her.

"Damon?" Elena asked.

"You look stuck." Buffy said, as she looked in through the passenger side window.

"Buffy?" Elena asked.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked her.

"My seat belt."

"Let me get you out of there. I want you to put your hands on the roof." Damon said to her. "Just like that. You ready? 1,2,3..." Damon snapped the seat belt. He caught her as she started to fall, so that she wouldn't hit her head. He helped her stand up. "I got you. Are you ok? Can you stand? Anything broken?"

"Uh-uh." Elena said. She started to sway.

"Whoa, you're fading fast Elena. Elena, look at me. Focus. Look at me." Damon said.

"Elena. Elena hey, you need to stay awake." Buffy said to her.

"I look like her." Elena managed to say, before completely passing out.

"What?" Both Damon and Buffy asked.

"Upsy-daisy." Damon lifted Elena in his arms.

"Should we call Stefan?" Buffy asked.

"Nope." Damon said.

"Where are we going?"

"To get my car."

"Ok. Then where are we going?"

"Think of this as the second half of our truce."

Buffy stopped walking and looked at Damon skeptically.

Damon looked back at her and sighed. "Come on Buffy. Trust me."

She crossed her arms and continued to stare him down.

Damon threw his head back and groaned. "Arg." He looked back at her. "Come on. I promise I'll be good. Just please come with me. Please."

Finally Buffy nodded. "Fine. No funny business though."

Damon smirked. "No funny business. Scout's honor."

Buffy looked at him incredulously. "I highly doubt that YOU were ever a scout."

Damon laughed. "No, but you know what I mean."


	6. Georgia

Buffy looked back into the backseat of Damon's car, where Elena was starting to wake up. "Morning." Buffy said to Elena.

Elena glanced at Buffy and Damon, confussion evident on her face. She looked out the window at the scenery passing by. "Where are we?" She asked.

"In Georgia." Damon said.

"Georgia? No, no, no we're not. Seriously, Damon, where are we?"

"Seriously, we're in Georgia." Buffy said.

"How ya feeling?" Damon asked her.

"I...I..."

"There's no broken bones. I checked." Damon said.

"But, my car. There was a man. I hit a man! But then he got up and... who was that?" Elena asked.

"That's what I would like to know." Damon said.

"Where's my phone?" Elena asked as she searched her pockets. "Ok, we really need to go back. Nobody knows where I am! Pull over. I mean it Damon! Pull over! Stop the car!"

Damon rolled his eyes. "You were so much more fun when you were asleep."

Damon pulled over on the side of the road and stopped the car. Buffy opened the passenger side door and got out, she slid the seat forward so that Elena could get out. As soon as Elena stepped out of the car she doubled over in pain.

"Hey, are you ok?" Buffy asked her.

"I'm fine." Elena insisted. "We have to go back."

"Oh come on! Look we've already come this far." Damon said.

"Why are you doing this? I can't be in Georgia. I wrecked my car! I have to go home. This is kidnapping!"

"That's a little melodramatic, don't ya think?" Damon grinned at her.

"You're not funny. You can't do this! I'm not going to Georgia!"

"Oh you're in Georgia." Buffy said to her.

Damon leaned back against his car and crossed his arms. "Without your magic little necklace I might add. I could very easily make you... agreeable." He said, giving her a smug smile.

"What are you trying to prove?" Elena asked. Just then, a cell phone started ringing. "That's my phone."

Damon smirked and pulled the phone out of his pocket. He looked down at the screen. "Mmm... It's your boyfriend." He answered the phone. "Elena's phone." He said, in a sing-song voice.

"Where is she?" Stefan asked, panicking. "Why do you have her phone? Is she ok?"

"Elena? She's right here. And yes, she's...fine." Damon said.

"Where are you? Let me speak to her." Stefan demanded.

Damon hands the phone to Elena. "He wants to talk to you."

"Uh-uh." Elena shakes her head.

Damon sighs and holds the phone back up to his ear. "Yeah, I don't... I don't think she really wants to talk to you right now."

"Damon, I swear to God, if you touch her..." Stefan threatened.

"Please..." Damon scoffed. "Buffy's here also, ok? Elena will be fine."

"You took Buffy too!"

"You have a good day, mm-hmm. Bye now." Damon smirked and hung up the phone.

"Why didn't you wanna talk to him?" Buffy asked Elena.

Elena just shook her head. "Look no one knows where I am. Can we please just go back." Elena pleaded.

"We're almost there."

"Where is there?"

"Yeah, I second that question." Buffy said.

"A little place right outside Atlanta." Damon said. "Oh, come on Elena. You don't wanna go back right now, do you? What's the rush? Time out." Damon said, making a time out gesture with his hands. "Trust me. Your problems are still gonna be there when you get home. Look... Step away from your life for 5 minutes. 5 minutes."

"Am I gonna be safe with you?"

"Yes." Damon looked over at Buffy. "And you know that you'll be safe with her."

"You promise not to do that mind control thing with me?"

"Yes."

"I promise that he won't. I also promise you that if he does, I'll gouge his eyes out." Buffy said, shooting a pointed look at Damon.

He rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Can I trust you?" Elena asked him.

"Get in the car. Come on."

Buffy looked at Elena and gave her a reassuring smile. "Come on." Elena got in the car, followed by Buffy, then Damon.

"So where's my car?" Elena asked.

"Oh, me and Buffy pulled it off to the side of the road. I don't think anyone will bother it."

"What about that man in the road? Was he a..."

"From what I could tell, yeah."

"You didn't know him?"

"If I've never met him, I wouldn't know him. I mean, it's not like we all hang out together at the vamp bar and grill."

"There are some vampire only bars and nightclubs though." Buffy said.

"Really?" Elena asked.

"Mm-hmm. They're pretty rare, but they do exist. It's an underground thing mostly. You know, very hush, hush. The type of deal were you gotta know the right people."

"Where are they?"

"Major cities mostly. Small towns just aren't the right scene."

"Huh."

Damon stopped the car in front of a bar.

"Seriously?" Buffy asked. "A bar? You brought us to a bar? This is why we drove all the way to Georgia?"

"Damon, they're not gonna let me in. I'm not old enough." Elena said.

"Sure they will." Damon said, as he walked off towards the bar.

Elena look at Buffy, Buffy simply shrugged her shoulders and followed Damon into the bar.

"No, no. It can't be. Damon!" The tall black woman working behind the bar exclaimed as she spotted him. She jumped over the bar and stood in front of him and looked at him **.** "My honey pie." She grabbed his head and pulled him to her, kissing him deeply.

Elena's eyes widened and she looked over at Buffy. Buffy looked back at Elena and mouthed the words 'Man whore.' Elena started laughing. After a few heated kisses, the woman jumped back over the bar. "Listen up everybody!" she yelled, as she grabbed a bottle of tequila. "Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life and ruined any and all chances of happiness!" She filled a few shot glasses up. "Drink up!" she yelled. Buffy and Damon took a shot. Buffy reached over and grabbed the shot that the woman had poured for Elena. When she wasn't looking, Buffy knocked back the shot. Elena shot her a grateful look. The woman looked at Buffy. "So, how'd he rope you in?"

"She's not roped in." Elena said.

"What she said." Buffy said.

"Honey, if you're not roped, you're whipped. Either way, just enjoy the ride."

"So..." Buffy said, trying to change the subject. "How'd you two meet?"

The woman chuckled. "College."

"You went to college?" Elena asked incredulosly.

"I've been on a college campus, yes." He said, as he knocked back another shot.

"About 20 years ago, when I was just a sweet, young freshman, I met this beautiful man." She looked over at Damon. "And I fell in love. And then, he told me about his little secret. Made me love him even more, because you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was just dying to share with somebody."

"She's a witch." Damon whispered.

"You changed my world, you know?"

"I rocked your world." Damon said cockily.

Both Buffy and Elena rolled their eyes.

"He is good in the sack, isn't he?" They both shrugged. "But mostly he's just a... walk away Joe." She knocked back another shot and set her gaze on Damon. "So, what is it that you want?"

"First..." Elena said before Damon could speak. "I want my phone."

"No way." Damon said.

"Damon..."

"Damon, give her the phone." Buffy said. "She needs to call home. Let her aunt know that she's ok."

Damon sighed and handed Elena her phone.

"Thank you." Elena said, looking towards Buffy.

Damon shot Buffy a look. "What?" She asked. "We may have a truce, but you and her obviously don't."

"Oh, now I see what's going on here." The woman said, looking between the two. "This little blonde has got you whipped. Honestly, I don't know whether to be jealous or impressed."

"I'm not whipped." Damon argued.

"There's no whipping. Unless it's in a strictly torturing sense only." Buffy said.

"I like her." The woman said. "I'm Bree."

"Buffy." Bree held out her hand to Buffy, Buffy grabbed her hand to shake. Bree gasped and looked at Buffy with wide eyes. "What?" Buffy asked her.

"I've never felt a vampire with as much power as you. How old are you?"

Buffy shrugged. "Around 865, give or take a year." Both Damon and Bree stared at her in amazement. Buffy fidgeted self consciously. "Please stop looking at me like that. It's really no big deal."

Bree turned her attention to Damon. "So, why are you here?"

"I need to know how to open that tomb."

Bree sighed. "Damon, we've been over this."

"Come on, there's gotta be another way."

"After all these years, it's still only Katherine." She shook her head. "How do you even know she's still alive?"

"Well, you help me get into that tomb and we'll find out." He smiled charmingly at her.

"I already did. 20 years ago, remember? Three easy steps. Comet, Crystal, Spell." She said, ticking each step off on her fingers.

"A little problem with number 2. I don't have the crystal."

"That's it, Damon. There's no other way. It's Emily's spell."

"What about, a new spell, with a new crystal that overrides Emily's spell?"

"It doesn't work that way baby. Emily's spell is absolute." She said. "You can't get into that tomb." She stressed each word.

Damon stood up angrily and walked over to a window. He looked out at Elena answering her phone. Buffy walked up to him. "That's why we're here? Katherine?"

"What can I say? It's an obsession."

"Yeah, and not a very healthy one at that."

"Don't start."

"All I'm saying is... that if the roles were reversed, there is no way in hell that Katherine would have spent all of these years looking for a way to get you out."

"She's talking to Stefan." He said, nodding towards Elena.

"Finally." Buffy said. "Wonder why she wouldn't talk to him earlier."

"She knows about Katherine. About how she looks just like her. That's what she meant before she passed out." Damon and Buffy walked outside. "You ok?" Damon asked Elena.

Elena huffed. "Don't pretend to care. I know you're gloating inside."

"Well..." Damon smirked.

"Shut up." Buffy snapped. "Are you ok?" She asked Elena.

"I don't know."

Buffy nodded. "Come on. Let's go grab some food."

Elena smiled at her. "OK."

* * *

Damon, Buffy and Elena were sitting at the bar. They all had plates with burgers and fries sitting in front of them. "Let's just say that I'm descended from Katherine..." Elena said. "Does that make me part vampire?"

"No." Buffy said, shaking her head. "Vampires can't procreate ."

"But we love to try." Damon smirked. Buffy rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head. "Hey!" Damon cried.

"If you were related, it would mean that Katherine had a child before she was turned." Buffy said.

"Did Stefan think that he could use me to replace her?"

"It's kinda creepy if you ask me." Damon said.

Buffy glared at him. She looked over at Elena's plate and saw that she had taken the pickles off of her burger and laid them off to the side. "Come on, what? you don't like pickles? What's wrong with you?" She grabbed the pickles and popped them into her mouth.

"How can you two even eat? If technically you're both supposed to be..."

"Dead?" Damon whispered. "It's not such a bad word. As long as we keep a healthy diet of blood in our system, our bodies function pretty normally."

"This nice act... is any of it real?" Elena asked him.

"Here you go honey." Bree said, setting down two beers in front of Damon and Buffy.

"I'll have one too." Elena said.

"Hmm?" Both Damon and Buffy asked, surprised.

"Time out, remember? For 5 minutes? Yeah, well, that 5 minutes is gonna need a beer."

"There you go." Bree said, handing Elena a beer.

* * *

Later they were still sitting at the bar. Only now, they were involved in a drinking contest with some other bar patrons.

"Ready..." Bree started.

"Go!" Damon yelled. Everyone threw back their shots.

"That's 3!" Elena boasted.

Buffy looked over at Damon, as he wiped off his chin. "Aww... do you need a bib?" She laughed.

"Sorry I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake, to consume alcohol." Damon shot back at her.

"All right! Who's next?" Elena asked. "Another round Bree?"

"Honey, you should be on the floor." The woman next to Elena slurred.

"I'm not even drunk. My tolerance is like way up..." She held her hand above her head and then jumped up. "Here!"

"All right, here ya go." Bree said, pouring more shots.

"So are you a light weight vamp?" Damon asked Buffy.

"Are you kidding me?" She scoffed. "I could drink half of this bar and still be standing."

"I'm gonna go play a game of pool." Elena said.

"I'll be right back." Buffy said, standing up. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

* * *

"Where's Elena?" Buffy asked Damon, once she returned to the bar.

Damon looked behind him. "She was right back there."

"I'll go check your car." Buffy said.

"I'll go around back." Damon told her.

Buffy had checked the car and was about to head back inside whenever she heard the sounds of a fight coming from behind the bar.

"What are you talking about?" Elena screamed. "What did he do?"

"He killed my girlfriend!"

 _'Wait a second.'_ Buffy thought. _'I know that voice.'_

"What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you?!"

"Nothing." Damon replied, weakly.

"I don't understand." Elena said.

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan, and Damon killed her! Got it!"

"Lexi? Lexi was your girlfriend?" Elena asked. "She told me about you. She said, she said that you were human."

"I was."

"Lexi turned you?"

"If you wanna be with somebody forever, you have to live forever."

Buffy stepped out from behind the building. "Lee!" She yelled.

He turned around. "Buffy? Buffy!" He rushed over to her and embraced her tightly. "I tried to find you! To tell you about Lexi! But you weren't in Madrid and I couldn't find your number!" He started crying.

"Shh... Lee. I'm here." She soothed.

"I missed you. It's been so hard without her."

"I know. God Lee, I know." Buffy smelled gas. She looked over at Damon and realized that the smell was coming from him. He was drenched in it! She looked at Lee. "Lee...What are you doing?"

Lee pulled a lighter out of his pocket. "I'm going to kill him."

"No!" Elena cried.

"Lee, stop! Just... stop! Please." Buffy screamed.

Lee looked at her, obviously confused. "He killed Lexi!"

"I know! God Lee, I know!"

"Then why? Why are you trying to save him?"

"I wanted to kill him! I did! Jesus! I went looking for Lexi, and when I found out... what happened... what he did... I wanted to rip him apart!"

"Then why didn't you?!"

"Because I promised Stefan that I wouldn't."

"Well I didn't promise!" He flipped open the lighter.

Buffy jumped in front of him. "Lee, stop this!" She grabbed ahold of his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "I miss her too! Lexi was like my sister! She was my best-friend! I loved her too! But killing him won't bring her back. She's gone, Lee." Buffy had tears running down her face.

"She shouldn't be!" Lee cried. "How come she's gone, and he gets to be here? Huh? Tell me how that's fair!"

"I can't. Because it's not." Lee nodded and looked back at Damon. "But I can't let you do this. Lexi loved you. She loved you so much, Lee. You and I both know that this isn't what she would want. She wouldn't want you to lose yourself to this. This isn't you. You're better than this. Be better than him. Remember Lexi when she was with you. Alive, happy, beautiful and care-free. Hold onto that, Lee. Don't do this. Please... Lexi was good. You're good, Lee. Don't. Please..." Buffy begged. Lee closed the lighter and put it back in his pocket. He walked over to Damon and lifted him up by his jacket. He looked at him and then he threw him into the wall across from them. "Thank you."

Lee looked back at Buffy, his eyes full of pain and hate. "It wasn't for you." He said, and then he was gone.

Buffy looked over at Damon, as he picked himself up off the ground. She turned and walked back to the car. She slipped into the passenger seat, laid her head against the window and began to cry. Damon and Elena climbed into the car. Damon looked over at Buffy, he reached his hand out to touch her, but at the last second he pulled back.

"Buffy..." He started.

"Don't." She gritted out. "Don't you dare say anything!"

Damon sighed. He put the car in drive and started the long drive back to Mystic Falls.


	7. I don't hate you

As soon as Damon pulled the car into the driveway, Buffy dashed out and into the house. Stefan was standing by the stairs, waiting on Elena. "Hey, Buffy." Stefan said. Buffy didn't even look at Stefan, as she sped up the stairs to her room, slamming the door shut. Stefan looked at Elena and Damon as they walked into the house. "What happened **?"** Stefan asked them. "What's wrong with Buffy?" Stefan narrowed his eyes at Damon. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, Stefan." Damon spat at him.

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Gee, I don't know Stefan. Maybe it's because everytime something goes wrong, you automatically blame me."

"That's because you're typically the cause of everything going wrong."

"Yeah, well...not this time."

"So, what happened?"

"Lexi's boyfriend showed up." Elena said.

"Lee?" Stefan asked.

"Yes, Lee." Damon growled. "He showed up with a bat and some gasoline."

"Well, obviously he didn't kill you." Stefan pointed out.

"No he didn't. Thanks for the concern, brother."

"Buffy stopped him." Elena said.

"Oh..." Stefan said, stunned.

"You should have seen her, Stefan..." Elena said. "She's just so sad."

"Lexi was her best-friend." Stefan said.

"And I killed her." Damon sighed.

"Yes." Stefan nodded. "Stopping Lee from killing Damon, that had to have been hard for her."

"I just wish that I could do something for her." Elena said.

"I'll go talk to her." Stefan assured her.

* * *

Stefan knocked on Buffy's door. When she didn't answer, he opened the door and walked inside of her room. Buffy was sitting at the foot of her bed, staring at the floor. "Hey." Stefan said, coming to sit beside of her. Buffy didn't even look up at him. "Buffy... are you ok? Dumb question. I know, but I had to ask."

"Why did I do it?" Buffy whispered, still staring at the floor.

Stefan looked at her. He reached his hand out and gently touched her shoulder **.** "Why did you do what?" he asked her.

"Why did I stop Lee?" She lifted her eyes to look at Stefan. Her eyes were red and puffy and full of tears. Her cheeks were lined with trails, from old and fresh tears. "Why did I save him?"

Stefan looked at her, his gaze mixed with sympathy and love. In the short amount of time that he had known her, Buffy had became a good friend to him. He hated seeing her in so much pain. Pain that Damon had caused. "Because..." Stefan searched for an answer. "Because, you promised me."

Buffy shook her head **.** "No. No I promised you that I wouldn't kill him. I didn't promise you that I would stop someone else from doing it. So why? Why did I?"

"Buffy..."

"He killed Lexi. She was more than just my best-friend, she was my sister. I loved her. For 350 years, she was always there. Whenever I needed her, there she was. And now... Now she's gone. Damon killed her... I wanted to kill him, Stefan. I wanted to rip him apart. He's caused so much pain... Lee was there... and he had Damon on the ground, soaked in gas... he had the lighter... and I stopped him..." Her brows knitted together in confussion. "Lee was ready to kill him, all I had to do was look the other way... he was in so much pain. He was so broken... And I stopped him. You should have seen his face." Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "The way he looked at me, Stefan. I killed him... asking him to spare Damon's life... it Destroyed him. I should have been helping him kill Damon, but instead, I stopped him. And I don't understand it! I don't understand why! I loved Lexi! And Lee, he's my friend. How could I ask him to do that? God... he looked at me, with such hate and disappointment. He will never forgive me. And why should he? I don't know if I'll be able to forgive myself for this."

"Buffy... You're a good person. If you would have let Lee kill Damon, you wouldn't have been able to live with yourself." Buffy shot Stefan a look. He sighed. "Ok, maybe you would, but you would have felt guilty about it. Because you're good. You have a good heart. And you couldn't just stand by and let Lee murder Damon."

"But would it have been?" Buffy asked softly.

"Would it have been what?" Stefan asked her gently.

"Murder. Would it have been murder?"

"Yes. No matter how justified... it would have been murder. And that's why you stopped Lee, because a part of you knew that."

Buffy nodded. "I just wish that it didn't hurt so bad."

Stefan pulled her into a hug. "I know."

* * *

The next morning, Buffy was sitting on the couch in the living-room, reading. Damon walked over and sat down next to her. Her whole body stiffened, but she didn't lift her gaze. Damon sighed. "You've been ignoring me." he said.

 **"** Go away, Damon." Buffy said, never looking up.

"Buffy..."

"Leave. Me. Alone."

"No, you see... I can't do that."

She sighed in frustration and closed her book. "What do you want?"

"You... You saved me." He said. " Buffy..." He waited for her to look at him before continuing. "You saved my life. Why? Why would you do that?" His eyes searching hers.

"I can't answer that." She said, standing up and walking towards the stairs.

Damon jumped up and followed her. "Why not?"

Buffy paused at the top of the stairs. "Because I don't have an answer." She started walking.

Damon sped past her and stopped directly in front of her, causing Buffy to stop. "What do you mean, you don't have an answer?"

"I mean exactly that. I don't know why I saved you. I should have let Lee kill you. Hell, I should have killed you..." She trailed off.

"But you didn't."

"No."

"Why? You could have let him kill me. All he had to do was throw that lighter on me... but you stopped him. I just can't figure out why."

"Neither can I."

"You don't like me." Damon stated the fact.

"No." Buffy agreed.

"Then why? Why'd you do it?"

"I honestly don't know."

"You should hate me."

"Yes." Buffy said, nodding.

"Do you?"

"I don't know. I'm so confused and conflicted right now, Damon."

"Buffy..."

Buffy squeezed her eyes shut. "Why won't you leave this alone?"

"Because... that's not me. I have to keep poking and prying, until I get my way."

"What do you want from me?"

"I don't know... We were having fun in Atlanta. Before everything that happened outside. It was nice. I don't want you to hate me..."

"I don't know what I am right now. I don't know how I feel. I do know that I should hate you. You killed Lexi. She was my family. You don't understand that. You've always had Stefan. As a human and as a vampire. I went 515 years with no family. You have no idea what that is like. How lonely. And then I had Lexi. I had someone who was there for me. No matter what. She was there, for 350 years. And you took her away from me. And I should hate you."

"So why don't you?"

"I don't know. Emotions are so easy whenever you're human. When you're a vampire... not so much. Everything gets magnified and it gets so hard to focus on one emotion. You learn to control it over time, but sometimes it's still so hard."

"Is this why you've been avoiding me?"

"It's part of the reason."

"It's not my fault you saved me. I didn't ask you to."

"I know that."

"Then what's the other reason?"

"You didn't ask me to save your life. You didn't beg me. Stefan wasn't there to ask me. I could have compelled Elena to forget it. And still, I saved you. I don't know why and it's driving me crazy! I saved your life! You're not worth it! Your life is not worth saving."

Damon looked down. "No, it's not." He whispered. He turned around and walked to his room, shutting the door.

* * *

"So... I have a favor to ask." Stefan said to Buffy, as he walked into her room.

"Ok..." Buffy said slowly.

"The guy that Elena hit with her car the other night, he's been harrassing her. I'm worried."

"All right, so what's the favor?"

"There's this decade dance at the school tonight..."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Decade dance?"

Stefan smiled. "Yup. The 50s to be exact. And I was wondering if you would like to go? Pose as a chaperone?"

"You're asking me to help you keep an eye on Elena, huh?"

Stefan laughed. "Yes. Will you?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Great."

* * *

Later that night, Buffy walked down the stairs. She and Stefan were going to go pick Elena up at her house and then head on to the dance. "So" Buffy started, once she reached the bottom of the stairs, where Stefan was waiting for her. "How do I look?" She asked him, as she spun around.

Stefan laughed and nodded his head. "You look great."

And she did. She was wearing a short sleeved dress, that reached to just below her knees. It was white, with red polka dots on it. The neck had the typical 1950's style collar, which plunged down into a modest 'V' at the neckline. The waist had a red ribbon around it, which was tied into a small bow on the right side. The dress was fitted at the top, below the ribbon, the skirt flowed out gently. She was wearing a pair of Saddle Oxford's on her feet. Her hair was done up in a perfect 1950's poneytail. Her makeup was light, except for the red lipstick on her lips.

Buffy smiled at him. "Thanks. I'm glad I kept these." She said, motioning to her outfit.

Stefan offered her his arm. "Shall we go pick up Elena?"

Buffy put her arm through his. "We shall."

* * *

Buffy and Stefan were outside Elena's house, on the porch, Stefan was about to knock, whenever Buffy stopped him. "Stefan." She said.

"What? What's wrong?"

"There's another Vampire here."

They rushed inside the house just in time to see a vampire about to bite Elena. "Elena!" Stefan cried. Buffy ran over and pulled the vamp off of Elena. The vampire stood up and ran out of the house. Stefan ran over to Elena and helped her up. He pulled her to him, holding onto her tightly. "You ok?" He asked her. "You're ok."

* * *

"How'd he get in?" Damon asked. Stefan had called him and told him about the attack.

Elena and Stefan were sitting side by side on the couch, Buffy was sitting in front of them, on the coffee table.

"He was invited in." Elena said.

"He posed as a pizza delivery guy last night." Stefan explained.

Damon looked impressed. "Well, he gets points for that. Did he say what he wanted?"

"No. He was too busy trying to kill me." Elena said.

"And you have no idea who this is?" Stefan asked Damon.

"No." Damon said. Stefan shot him a dubious look. "Don't look at me like that. I told you we had company."

"You think there's more than one?" Elena asked.

Damon shrugged. "We don't know."

"Damon, he was invited in." Buffy said.

"Then we go after him tonight." Damon said. "Are you up for it?" He asked Elena.

"What do I have to do?" Elena asked.

"Let your boyfriend take you to the dance. We'll see who shows up." Damon said.

"We?" Both Stefan and Buffy asked him.

"I'm going to help Buffy chaperone."

"That's a bad idea." Stefan said. "The, we'll see who shows up part. Not the chaperone part. Though, now that I think about it, that's a bad idea also."

"Until we get him, this house isn't safe. For anyone who lives in it." Damon said.

"It's worth a shot." Buffy said.

"See, Buffy thinks it's a good idea." Damon said.

"I'll do it." Elena said. Stefan looked at her, about to argue. She grabbed his hand and held it."I'll be with you. And Damon and Buffy. I'll be safe."

* * *

The four of them walked into the gym, where the dance was being held. Elena spotted Bonnie and Caroline. She grabbed Buffy's arm. "Come on. I want to introduce you to my friends." She pulled Buffy over to the table where Bonnie and Caroline where at. "Having fun?" She asked them.

"No, but this" Caroline motioned to her hair and outfit. "took about 2 hours. So, I'm at least staying half of that."

Elena laughed and motioned to Buffy. "I want you to meet someone. Guys, this is Buffy. Buffy, these are my friends, Bonnie and Caroline."

"It's nice to meet you." Buffy told them.

"You too." Caroline said.

"I remember you." Bonnie said. "In the woods."

"Yeah..." Buffy said.

"Thank you, for helping me." Bonnie smiled.

"You're welcome."

"What's Damon doing here?" Bonnie asked.

"He wanted to come. I promise, he'll behave." Elena said.

"So what is this? Like a threesome? You and the Salvatore brothers?" Caroline asked.

Elena sighed. "No, but if I'm going to be with Stefan, I have to learn to tolerate Damon. It's not like I can kill him."

"There's a thought." Bonnie said.

"I'll help." Caroline said.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked over to the punch bowl, where Bonnie and Caroline were standing. "Hi Bonnie." Damon said. "Wanna dance?"

"I'm outta here." Bonnie said, as she started to walk off.

Damon grabbed her arm gently. "Please give me another chance." She jerked away from him and walked off.

"Back off, Damon." Caroline said as she followed Bonnie.

Stefan and Elena walked up. "Where did they go?" Elena asked.

"I dunno." Damon said.

Stefan gave Damon a knowing smile. "What'd you say to them?"

"I was perfectly polite." He said rolling his eyes. He looked at Elena. "Elena...Would you like to dance?"

"I would love to." Elena said. Damon shot Stefan a smug smile. Elena turned to Stefan. "May I have this dance?"

Damon's smile fell and he rolled his eyes. Stefan held his arm out and escorted Elena onto the dance floor. Damon's grin returned and he turned to Buffy. "Oh, Buffy..."

Buffy shook her head and took a step back. "No."

"Oh, come on! Please..."

"No, we're supposed to be looking for the vamp that attacked Elena, remember?"

"We can do that and dance. Please... No one else will dance with me."

"Damon..."

"I promise, I'm a great dancer." Buffy just looked at him. "Please. You look really pretty tonight. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

"Damon..."

"Come on! Where's fun Buffy? I like her. I want to see her again. Oh fun Buffy are you in there?" He bent down and looked into her eyes. "I command you to come out. Show yourself." Buffy cracked a small smile. "There she is!" Damon grinned triumphantly.

"Fine. One dance." Buffy held up one finger.

Damon nodded. "One dance." He held out his arm like a gentleman and Buffy looped her arm through his.

On their way out to the dance floor, a man stepped in front of them. "Yeah, I don't recognize you two. How'd you get roped into chaperoning?" Damon gave him a skeptical look. "Alaric Saltzman." He said. "I'm the new history teacher."

"Ah, the uh, cursed faculty position." Damon said.

"So I've been told."

"Damon, Salvatore. And this gorgeous girl, is my friend, Buffy Summers."

"It's nice to meet you." He told her.

"You too."

"Salvatore? As in Stefan?"

"He's my little brother. I'm his legal guardian, hence the chaperoning. Buffy decided to join me, that way I wouldn't get too bored."

"I hear he's very bright, not that I've had a chance to see myself."

"Well, his attendance record's a little spotty. Family drama."

"No parents?"

"Mmm... It's just the two of us now. And Buffy."

"You, uh... You live here your whole life?"

"On and off. Travel a bit. Buffy loves to travel. She just got back from Spain."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah." Buffy said.

"So where all have you traveled?" He asked Damon. **" Around the states?"** Damon looked at Alaric suspiciously. "I'm sorry. I'm nosy. I... I don't mean to pry. Look, it was nice meeting you both."

"You too." Both Damon and Buffy said.

"Enjoy the rest of the dance." Alaric walked off.

Damon turned and looked at Buffy. "Now, where were we?" He took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. He started a dramatic tango walk with her across the dance floor.

As they passed by Elena turned to Stefan. "You really can't take him anywhere, can you?"

"Uh, no." Stefan said.

When they reached the other side of the dance floor, Damon spun Buffy around and then he took one of her hands in his and wrapped his other hand around her waist. He pulled her tightly against him and they began to sway to the music. "See, I told you. I'm a great dancer." Damon said, after a few minutes. Buffy sighed. "Oh come on! No more brooding! That's Stefan's job. I want you to have fun." Buffy looked over his shoulder. Damon moved him head so that their eyes locked. "Smile. Please. For me."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Damon shrugged. "Maybe I like you." He smirked.

"Why?"

"You're different. I can't seem to figure you out. And I told you, I like a challenge."

Before Buffy could reply, Stefan ran up to them. "Buffy! Damon! Where's Elena?"

"She was with you." Damon said.

"She was supposed to come find you guys."

Buffy closed her eyes and breathed in deep. "He's here." She said. "Come on." They pushed their way through the crowd and out into the hallway. Buffy sniffed the air again. _'Blood. Vampire blood.'_ she thought. "This way." They started walking towards the lunch room. They all three rushed through the door. Buffy grabbed the vamp and threw him off of Elena.

"Hey dickhead." Damon said, as the vamp was starting to get back up. "Nobody wants to kill you. We just wanna talk."

"Speak for yourself." Buffy said.

The vamp turned and rushed towards Elena. Damon tossed the broken mop handle to Buffy. She caught it and stabbed the vamp in the stomach. He fell to his knees.

"Now ya feel like talking?" Damon asked.

"Screw you."

"Wrong answer." Stefan growled.

Buffy reached down and plunged the stake further into the vamp's body. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's fun." The vamp said.

"What do you want with Elena?" Stefan asked.

"She looks like Katherine."

"You knew Katherine?" Damon asked.

"Oh, you thought you were the only ones. You don't even remember me?"

"Katherine. Of course. It's always about that bitch! We should just start assuming that it's about her, when things start going to hell." Buffy said.

"Tell me how to get into that tomb." Damon said.

"NO." Buffy pushed the stake further up. "The grimoire." The vamp gasped.

"Where is it?" Damon asked.

"Check the journal. The journal. It's Jonathan's. Jonathan Gilbert's."

"Who else is working with you?" Stefan asked.

"Who else is there?" Buffy asked.

"You're gonna have to kill me."

Buffy pulled the stake out of the vamp. Damon stood back, crossed his arms and smirked. Buffy shoved the stake back into the vamp's body, into his heart.

"What do we... How are you going to find the others now?" Elena asked.

"He had to die." Buffy said.

"But..."

"Elena, he's been invited in." Stefan said. They heard someone in the hallway, they looked up to see Alaric in the doorway. "Go." Stefan said. "I've got this."

Damon grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her out into the hallway with him. They were suddenly, both, blocking Alaric's path.

"Hey."

"What were you doing?" Damon asked.

"Looking for MS. Hilton."

"Why are you in Mystic Falls?"

"I got a job as a teacher."

"Do you know what I am?"

"You're my student's brother."

"Is everything you're telling me the truth?"

"Yes."

"Then forget we had this conversation." Damon and Buffy walked around Alaric. "So, see tonight wasn't so bad." Damon said. "We danced, you tortured and killed a vampire, I compelled Stefan's teacher... Yeah tonight was fun." Buffy laughed. "Wait a second... Was that an actual laugh?"

"Don't get used to it."

Damon just smiled at her as they headed home.


	8. The Journal

Damon, Buffy and Stefan were all sitting in the living room. "No way that idiot was working alone." Damon said.

"You are." Buffy pointed out. Stefan laughed and Damon shot her a scowl.

"So, the grimoire, it was Emily's right? That's what you need to reverse the spell." Stefan said to Damon. "When the founding families burned her, they took her things. And you were hoping dad's journal could tell you where it is."

"Look at you, putting the pieces together. Good for you." Damon said, giving Stefan a condescending smirk. Stefan smirked back. "I was half right." Damon said. "Well, it's out there now. Let the games begin."

"My offer still stands." Stefan told him.

"Yea, with some hidden caveats, no doubt."

"No." Stefan said, shaking his head. "No, nothing hidden about it. No lies. No deception. I'm there when you open that tomb. You and Katherine go, and the other 26 vampires die."

"If I agree?"

"Then me and Buffy will help you."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm your brother. And Buffy's your friend, sort of."

"No that's not gonna cut it."

"Because we want you gone."

Damon stared at them, considering their proposal. He nodded. "Ok."

Stefan nodded back. "Ok."

Damon walked away. After a few moments, Buffy turned to look at Stefan. **"** You're not serious are you? We can't let him get into that tomb."

"I know that."

"I know he thinks that everything he's done has been for love, but I will not help him rescue Katherine."

"Damon has to believe that we're helping him. That way we'll know everything he does. Otherwise, he'll be one step ahead."

Buffy nodded her head in understanding. "All right."

* * *

Damon snuck quietly into Buffy's room. He slipped into her bed, carefully and silently, so as not to wake her. Buffy turned in her sleep and woke up, coming face to face with Damon. "Morning sleepy head." He chirped.

"Damon! What the hell are you doing?" She grumbled. She realized that he was also under the covers with her. She had been so tired the night before, that she had simply stripped down to her bra and panties and went to sleep. She started trying to pull the covers around her.

Damon noticed what she was attempting to do and smirked. "Oh, stop being smutty." He told her. "If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it." He bit his lip seductively. Buffy stared at him, wide eyed and in shock. "We have some very important business to discuss."

"And it has to be right now? I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh, we have lots to do."

"Shouldn't you be waking Stefan? You know, including him on this?"

"Why? Because now we're all friends and working towards a common goal?"

"Uh, yea."

"Nope. I like you better."

Buffy sighed. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Well in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal, to get the grimoire, to undo the spell."

"Ok. Well, that's another reason why you should be including Stefan. I mean Elena is Elena GILBERT. Stefan's dating Elena, so they could get you the journal."

"Yes. I know that. That is why YOU, Miss. Summers, are going to go to Elena's, with Elena and look for the journal."

"I am?"

"Yes. That way if they find it, we'll know."

"What? You don't think that they wouldn't tell you? Stefan agreed to help you Damon."

"Will you just please do this."

"Fine. Ok. I'll do it."

He smiled brightly. "Thank you."

"What about the other vampire? That dimwit from last night obviously wasn't working alone."

"Yeah. I don't like that. So, chop chop." He said, clapping his hands.

"Ugh." Buffy groaned. "Is annoying your only mood?"

"I brought you coffee."

Buffy looked over at her nightstand to see a steaming mug of coffee. "Thank you."

"Hurry up. That tombs not gonna open itself." He walked over to her door, then turned and looked back at her. "You know, I really like this whole, menage a threesome, team thing. It's got a bit of a kink to it." He chuckled. "Don't let Stefan screw it up." He turned and shut the door behind him.

* * *

Buffy, Stefan and Elena were all sitting at the table in Elena's dining room, unpacking boxes looking for the journal. "Do you think Damon really believes us?" Elena asked them. "That we're trying to help him."

"I don't think Damon knows what to believe." Stefan said. "Trust isn't something that comes naturally to him."

"You know... I really think that Damon believes that everything he's done, every move that he's made, he's done for love."

"I believe that too." Buffy said.

"It's twisted, but kind of sad." Elena said.

"There are other ways to get what you want. You don't have to kill people. Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others." Stefan sighed. "For 145 years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he's done something to make me regret that. I'm not going to make that mistake again."

"So what do you think will happen if the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back?"

"All hell will break loose." Buffy said.

"I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die." Elena nodded and sighed, looking down at the picture that had fallen out of the album in her hands. "That's Jonathan Gilbert." Stefan told her.

"What is this?" Elena asked, opening a wooden box that held a device that looked vaguely like a muzzle.

Both Stefan and Buffy looked at the contraption with dark faces. "That's a muzzle for vampires." Buffy gritted out. Her voice dark and angry.

Before Elena could say anything, Jeremy walked in. "What are you guys doing?"

"Hey. Just going through some stuff, feeling sentimental. Dad had this old family journal from years ago. I thought I'd dig it up. Show Stefan and Buffy."

"I'm Buffy." Buffy waved at Jeremy.

"Oh, sorry. Jeremy, this is my friend, Buffy. Buffy, this is my brother, Jeremy."

"Hi, Buffy. That's an odd name. No offense."

"None taken. It's a nickname, another form of Elizabeth. My mom heard it once and she liked it. Hated the name Elizabeth though, so she just named me Buffy."

"I like it." Jeremy said, smiling. "So are you talking about Jonathan Gilbert's journal?"

"Yeah, what do you know about it?" Elena asked.

"I just did a history report on it."

"Ok, so where is it now?"

"I gave it to MR. Saltzman. He wanted to see it."

Buffy and Stefan shared a look.

* * *

Buffy and Stefan walked into Alaric's classroom. "I don't see him." Stefan said.

"Doesn't mean he's not here." Buffy said. "Look around for the..."

Buffy turned around and caught the stake in the air, seconds before it pierced Stefan's back. Stefan turned around and shot Buffy a grateful look. "Thanks." They turned and saw Alaric standing in the doorway, holding some type of stake launcher. He frantically started to reload. Stefan was suddenly standing beside of him, taking it out of his hands.

"You shouldn't have done that." Buffy said.

"Have a seat." Stefan told him, pointing at the desks. Stefan inspected the weapon. "What is this, compressed air?" Alaric nodded.

"Did you make it yourself?" Buffy asked. He nodded again. "That's pretty damn awesome."

"Who are you?" Stefan asked.

Alaric looked between the two of them, fear evident on his face.

"We're not going to hurt you." Buffy assured him. "Well, unless you try that again."

Stefan handed the stake launcher back to Alaric, who took it, obviously confused. "Now, who are you?" Stefan asked.

"I'm a teacher." Alaric answered.

Buffy sighed. "Are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

"I'm also a historian. And while researching Virginia, I... made a few... Discoveries, about your town."

"So you show up like Van Helsing? Who, by the way, was actually a pretty cool guy. Had a super hard on for Dracula though... So, come on. Tell us the truth." Buffy said.

"My wife was a parapsychologist. She spent her life researching paranormal activity in this area. It was her work that led me here."

"Where's your wife?" Buffy asked.

"Dead. A vampire killed her."

"Where's the Gilbert journal?" Stefan asked.

"What do you want with it?" Alaric countered.

"Where is it?"

"It's on my desk."

Buffy was suddenly standing next to the desk. "No, it's not."

"It _was_ on my desk."

"How long have you been aware of me?" Stefan asked.

"I learned just recently. Her, I had no idea about." He said, nodding to Buffy. "What about your brother?"

"You met Damon."

"Who do you think killed my wife?"

"Are you certain it was Damon?"

"I witnessed it."

"And he let you live?" Buffy asked.

"He didn't see me."

"If you're here for revenge, this is going to end very badly for you." Stefan said.

"I just want to find out what happened to my wife."

"I thought that you just said that Damon..." Stefan started.

"Yeah. I saw him draining the life out of her. He must have heard me coming. He just... disappeared. So did her body. They never found her."

"Damon can never know why you're here. He'll kill you without blinking."

"I can take care of myself."

Stefan scoffed. "No you can't."

"We can help you. If you'll let us." Buffy said.

"So, you're a vampire too?" Alaric asked her.

"Yes, and I'm way older and much stronger than Stefan. Soo... don't try anything."

"Wasn't gonna."

* * *

"Who took it?" Damon demanded.

Buffy and Stefan had gone over to Elena's house, to tell her what they had found out. To their surprise, Damon had answered the door. Now the three of them, along with Elena, were standing on the porch, discussing what had happened at the school.

"We don't know." Buffy said.

"You know what, it's that teacher. There's something really off about him."

"No, he doesn't know anything." Stefan said."Somebody got to it right before us."

"Who else knew it was there?" Stefan looked through the window at Jeremy, sitting on the sofa. Damon looked to where Stefan was looking.

"No." Elena said. "Damon, leave him out of it."

"Why? What's the big deal?" They followed Damon inside the house. "So..."He started, as he sat down next to Jeremy. "I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?"

"Huh?" Jeremy asked.

"Don't ask questions, just spill."

"Jer, did you tell anyone other than MR. Saltzman about Jonathan Gilbert's journal?" Elena asked.

"Why is everyone so obsessed with that thing?"

"Who else did you tell?"

"Just that girl Anna."

"The hot weird one?" Damon asked him.

"Yeah."

"Wait, who's Anna?" Stefan asked.

"That's what I wanna find out." Damon said.

"How do you know her?" Buffy asked.

"I just know her. She wants me to meet her at the Grill tonight."

"Perfect. I'll drive." Damon said. "Come on."

"Ok."

Stefan looked at Buffy. She sighed. "I'll go with them." She walked outside. "Wait up." She told Damon.

Damon turned around and grinned. "Buffy, you're coming too?"

"Yeah. I wanna find out who this Anna girl is just as much as you do." She climbed into the passenger seat.

"So, you said this Anna girl's weird? Weird how?" Buffy asked Jeremy.

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. She's kinda lurky. And clingy."

"Then why do you like her?"

"I don't know. She's hot. Damon says hot trumps weird."

Buffy glanced over at Damon in the drivers seat. "I bet he did." Damon smirked at her.


	9. Crestfallen

Buffy and Damon were sitting at the bar, waiting for Anna to show up. "So, who do you think she is?" Buffy asked.

"Who?"

"This Anna chick."

"Oh, I'm not sure."

"It can't be a coincidence that Jeremy showed her the journal and now it's gone."

"Nope."

"Anna! Hey." Jeremy said. Both Buffy and Damon looked over to where Jeremy was waving to a dark haired girl. The girl walked over to the pool tables, where Jeremy was at. "Wanna play?" Jeremy asked.

"Sure." Anna said.

"Vampire." Buffy said.

"What?" Damon asked.

"She's a vampire."

Just then, Anna turned around and Damon got a good look at her face. "Crap!" Damon exclaimed.

"What?"

"I know her."

"You do? How?"

"She was here in 1864. With her mother."

"Ok, so do you think her mom is here also?"

"No. I know she's here."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, she's one of the 26 vampires in that tomb."

"Oh. So, it's safe to say that Anna's looking for a way to open the tomb also, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Come on." Buffy said, standing up.

"Where are we going?" Damon asked.

"We're gonna find out where she's staying."

"All right."

* * *

Damon and Buffy were walking around Anna's motel room.

"Find anything?" Damon asked Buffy.

"Oh lots, just not the journal."

Just then, Buffy was across the room, in the blink of an eye, pinning Damon to the wall behind the door. Damon looked at her questioningly. Buffy pressed a finger to her lips and pointed to the door, just as it opened. Anna walked through the door, Buffy moved out of the way, as Damon lunged and grabbed Anna by the neck, slamming her against the wall. Anna's hand shot out and grabbed Damon's neck as well. She started to crush his neck. "Ok, I give." Damon managed to choke out. "OK." They both let go and Damon started to cough. "Damn. You're strong for a little thing."

"I was wondering how long it would take you to find me." Anna said.

"How long have you been here?"

"I arrived around half-past comet, watching you screw up every chance you had to open that tomb."

"How did you know about the spell?"

"I didn't say much back then... which means I heard everything."

"So if you've been here the whole time, then why are we just crossing paths right now?"

"I like to use others to do my dirty work."

"Like Logan Fell?"

"Oh, yeah, thanks for that, by the way." Buffy said. "Little bastard shot me!"

"Logan was an idiot." Anna said.

"Mm-hmm." Damon said.

"We slipped him some blood when he started getting all poser slayer with that compass. I needed his family's journal. I couldn't let him die."

"What'd you want with the Fell journal?" Buffy asked.

"I thought it contained the location of the witch's spell book. I was wrong. According to her journal, Honerea gave the grimoire to Jonathan Gilbert. And, according to this..." Anna said, grabbing the Gilbert journal. "He gave it to your father." She looked at Damon. "So now you're going to help me find it."

"Why would I help you?" Damon asked.

"Cause you and I both want that tomb open." She opened the journal to a certain page and handed it to Damon.

He read it for a second. "Hmm..." He wrapped the string back around it and tossed it onto the dresser. "Sorry. I work alone."

"What about her?" Anna asked, nodding towards Buffy.

Damon glanced at Buffy and smirked. "She's an exception. She's hot and I like her way more than I like you." He opened the door and let Buffy walk out first.

Once they were in Damon's car, Buffy turned to look at him. "So... where are we going?"

"To see my father." Damon answered, as they drove off.

* * *

As Damon and Buffy walked through the woods, they saw a faint orange glow just ahead of them.

"What is that?" Damon asked.

"It looks like fire." Buffy answered.

They crept closer and closer, what they saw was unexpected, for both of them. Stefan and Elena, standing beside a freshly dug up grave. "Well, what do you know?" Damon said, giving them a hard stare. "This is an interesting turn of events."

"I can't let you bring her back." Stefan said. "I'm sorry."

"So am I. For thinking for even a second that I can trust you."

"Oh. You're not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."

"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me! You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But you..." He looked at Elena. "You had me fooled."

"What the hell Stefan! I thought that we were a team!" Buffy shouted.

"You've been helping him! You're here with him, right now!" Stefan shouted back.

"So what are you going to do now?" Damon asked Stefan. "Because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out."

"Damon..." Buffy started.

"You won't kill her." Stefan said.

Damon glanced at Buffy, then suddenly he was standing behind Elena, holding her tightly to him, with one arm wrapped around her neck. "I can do one better." He bit into his wrist and then put it up to Elena's mouth. Forcing her to drink his blood. "Give me the book, Stefan. Or I'm snapping her neck. And you and I will have a vampire girlfriend."

"Let her go first." Stefan said.

"The book."

"I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me."

"Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!"

"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will."

Damon looked at Stefan and then Buffy. Buffy saw this and walked over to Stefan. "Give me the book."

Stefan looked at her, confused. "What? Buffy..."

"He doesn't trust you, Stefan. Give me the book and Damon will let Elena go. Once she is standing next to you, then I'll give the book to Damon. Deal?" She looked at Damon. He nodded his head. Stefan sighed and handed the book to Buffy. Damon let go of Elena. Once Elena was beside of Stefan, Stefan looked at Damon and then he helped Elena out of the woods. Buffy walked towards Damon and held the book out to him. "Here."

Damon looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Thanks."

Buffy turned to walk away. "Why?" Damon asked.

She turned around. "Why what?"

"Why help me, if you were planning to double-cross me?"

Buffy sighed. "I wasn't planning to double-cross you, Damon. I just wasn't planning on helping you get her back."

"Why do you hate her so much?"

"Maybe I'll tell you one day. Look, I've been helping you. This whole time. Don't ask me why, but I have. I have a feeling that you will get that tomb open, on way or another. So if you do... the original deal still stands. You and Katherine can go, if and only when you help me kill the other 26 vampires."

"Why should I trust you? You don't even like Katherine."

"Well, for one, I've never lied to you. And two... You owe me."

Damon held her gaze for a long moment. He didn't have to ask her what she meant, he knew. He had killed Lexi and she had spared his life and then she had saved his life. He did owe her. "Deal."

* * *

Buffy and Damon were sitting in the living-room, looking through the grimoire. "Buffy! Damon!" Stefan called, as he rushed into the living-room.

"Stefan, what's wrong?" Buffy asked.

"Anna took Elena!"

"What?!"

"Yeah. I got that from your 600 voicemails." Damon said.

Buffy turned around and glared at him. "You knew? Why didn't you tell me?"

Damon shrugged. "They betrayed me. Ergo... not my problem."

"All night long, every single street in town, I've been searching." Stefan looked at Damon. "What if your blood hasn't passed out of her system?"

"Well, then at least you know you'll see her again."

"Please. What do you know? You were with Anna, you must know where she's living. Just tell me where I can find her."

"Nope. You can go. Really."

"You know, all I can remember is hating you. There might have been a time when that was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you." Damon laid the grimoire down in his lap and glared up at Stefan. Stefan continued. "But see, I also know that you have just as much reason to hate me. This all began with me. Katherine got taken away from you, because of me. And I'm sorry."

Damon looked blown away. "Apology accepted." He smiled.

"So please, just tell me what you know."

"Huh."

"It's Elena, Damon. If you know something...tell me."

Damon sighs and closes the grimoire. He stands up and looks directly at Stefan. "I mean this sincerely. I hope Elena dies." He walks out of the room. Stefan looks beyond crushed.

"Stefan." Buffy says gently. Stefan looks up at her. "I was with Damon, when he saw Anna. She's staying at the motel, near the edge of town."

Stefan smiles gratefully at her. "Thanks." He says, before he rushes out of the house.

* * *

"Let's go." Damon said, as he walked into Buffy's bedroom.

"Go where?" Buffy asked.

"Anna just called. She wants to meet up."

"So, go."

"I need you to go with me."

"Why?"

"Because you're older than her, which means you're stronger than her. So, if she tries anything that we don't like... You'll kick her ass!" Damon smiles brightly at her.

"So, you want me to go and be your muscle?"

"Yes. Well, that and I just really want you to go."

Buffy couldn't help but smile a little at that. "Fine. I'll go."

"Great! I'll drive."

* * *

Anna made her way through the town square. "Anna!" Jeremy yelled at her, from across the street. He ran over to her. "Hey, what, uh, what happened to you last night?"

"Sorry, I, I had to leave. I told your sister to tell you." Anna said.

"Oh, I haven't seen her."

"Well, I gotta run, so..."

"Hey, do you wanna go to a party tonight?"

"Do I what?"

"The guy that's throwing it is a total douche, but it's, uh, it's supposed to be fun. I figured, you know, safety in numbers."

Anna smiled at him. "So you're finally ready to go out with me, are you?"

"It's been a while since I've been to a party, I kinda want to get back out there. And not be such a loner. And, uh, I like you. You're fun. And you're also kind of strange and lurky, but I guess I like that too. So, yeah, you should come to the party. With me. It's in the woods by that old cemetery."

"Oh. It's there, huh? That sounds cool. Uh, I'll meet you."

"Oh...ok! Great! Cool. Ok."

"Yeah." Anna smiled at him as he walked away. She sat down on a bench and looked around. Suddenly, Damon was sitting next to her and Buffy was behind her, leaning against the back of the bench.

"Got a hot date, or are you just planning on nabbing the entire Gilbert family?" Damon asked her.

"A party, right next to the old cemetery. Isn't that nice of them? Lots of warm bodies for starving vampires." Anna said.

"I told you. I work alone."

"Yeah, so do I. But you're minus a witch and I'm minus a spell book. So what do you say?"

"Stefan will come after you, you know that. For messing with Elena."

"Then he won't be too happy if I kill her, when I don't get what I want." Anna stood up and started to walk away.

Damon groaned. "When do you want to do this?"

Anna stops walking and turns around. "God, it's like 1864 all over again. You Salvatores are truly pathetic when it comes to women." She glances at Buffy. "Or is it just women who look like Katherine?"

"When do you want to do this?" Damon asked more forcefully this time.

"Tonight. After sundown. Meet at the old church."

* * *

Buffy sat on the table in the library and watched as Damon moved around the room. He grabbed his jacket and was putting it on when Elena walked in. "I'm going to have to change the locks. Did you stage a jailbreak?" He asked her.

"Stefan." Elena said.

"Oh, brother. Ever the white knight."

"I convinced Bonnie to help you."

"I doubt that."

"I'm not going to say that I'm sorry we got the grimoire without you last night, because I'm not, really."

"Well, at least you're honest."

"I was protecting the people I love, Damon. But so were you, in your own twisted way. And as hard as it is to figure, we're all on the same side... after the same thing."

"Not interested."

"Yes, you are. Because you were willing to work with us yesterday."

"Fool me once, shame on you."

"Ok, when we were in Atlanta, why didn't you use your compulsion on me?"

"Who's to say I didn't?"

"You didn't. I know you didn't. But you could have. You and I... we have something. An understanding. And I know that my betrayal hurt you, different from how it is with you and Stefan. But I'm promising you this now, I will help you get Katherine back."

Damon groans and shakes his head. "I wish that I could believe you."

Elena takes her necklace off and sets it down. "Ask me if I'm lying now."

Damon picks up her necklace and hands it back to her. "I didn't compel you in Atlanta, because Buffy wouldn't let me." He looked over at Buffy and smiled. He then looked back at Elena, his face hard once again. "Now. Get out."

"Damon..."

"Look, I don't trust you. I don't trust Stefan. And I most certainly don't trust the two of you together. The only one that I trust is Buffy. So leave."

"Listen Elena, Just go. Tell Bonnie to meet us at the church." Buffy said.

Elena sighed and nodded her head. "Fine." She turned and walked away.

Buffy waited until she heard the door shut, she then turned to look at Damon. "Got everything you need?"

Damon nodded. "Yup."

"All right then, let's go." She turned to leave, but Damon was suddenly standing in front of her. He moved closer, until his body was pressed against hers. He looked down into her eyes.

"I meant what I said. I do trust you." Damon said.

"I believe you."

"Just... You're not planning something, are you?"

"No. Damon. I promise."

Damon nodded his head. "I believe you."

"Good. Now, let's go rescue your crazy bitch." She pushed him away from her and marched off.

* * *

Buffy looked around as she got out of the car. There were teenagers everywhere! _'Great.'_ She thought. "I hope they stay clear of the church."

"Your hope, not mine." Damon told her. Buffy shot him a glare. "What?" He asked.

Buffy just shook her head and continued walking. "Nothing. Let's just get this over with."

"Buffy!" Buffy looked over and saw Caroline walking over. "Buffy, hey."

"Hey Caroline." Buffy said. She looked at the guy standing next to Caroline. "Hi."

"Oh! Sorry! Buffy, this is Matt. Matt, this is Buffy."

"Hi, Matt."

"Hey, Buffy. It's nice to meet you." Matt said.

Buffy nodded. "You too."

"Have you seen Elena?" Caroline asked Buffy.

"No, uh, not yet. She said that she would be here though."

"No time to tell the whole story." Damon said.

"Wasn't talking to you." Caroline snapped.

"Sure you were." Damon smirked.

"We haven't met. I'm Matt." Matt said to Damon.

"Matt, there's a reason we haven't met." He turned back to Buffy. "You and I are going this way." He grabbed Buffy's arm and pulled her in the direction of the church.

Buffy jerked her arm out of Damon's grasp. "Stop being so pushy!"

They spotted Elena and Stefan, standing with Bonnie and Bonnie's grandmother. Damon whistles at them. "Brother, brother's girl, witches."

"Everything ok?" Stefan asks.

"Let's just get this over with. Are we ready?" Buffy asked.

"I guess so." Bonnie said.

Buffy walked down into the tomb first, followed by Damon, then Stefan, Elena, Bonnie and finally her grandmother. There were torches set up in front of the five points of the pentagram that was carved into the door.

Bonnie's grandmother grabbed a lighter and began lighting the torches. "Air. Earth. Fire."

"Water." Bonnie said, holding up a jar.

"That's it, just water from the tap?" Elena asked.

"As opposed to what?" Grams asked, amused.

"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something." Elena said.

Damon pulled out a bag of blood.

"What's that?" Stefan asked.

"It's for Katherine. Gotta have something to get her going." Damon said. "Unless your girl's offering a vein to tap." Stefan sighs angrily. "Admit it... You can't wait to get rid of me." Damon grins at Stefan.

Stefan chuckles. "Huh. I can't wait to get rid of you."

"Hmm." Damon smirks.

"We're ready." Bonnie said. Bonnie and her grandmother turned, facing each other and began chanting.

"What are they saying?" Damon asked Buffy.

"Sounds like Latin." Stefan said.

"I don't think it's Latin." Elena said.

"It's not Latin." Buffy said.

"How do you know that?" Damon asked.

"I've been around a long time. Heard a lot of different languages... including Latin."

The torch flames flared up suddenly. Elena moved closer to Stefan. "What's happening?" She asked.

The door with the pentagram on it, slowly starts to open. "It worked." Bonnie said.

"Of course it worked." Grams said.

Damon turned and looked at Stefan. "We have some fires to build."

Stefan looked at Elena. "I'm gonna go get the gasoline, I'll be right back." Elena nodded and he walked out of the tomb.

Damon turned and looked at Buffy. "You ready?" He asked.

Buffy nodded and pulled out a stake. "Ready."

Damon then looked at Elena. "Are you ready?" He held out his hand to her.

Elena looked at Damon and Buffy. "What?" She asked.

Damon grabbed her arm. "You think I'm going to go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" Damon asked Bonnie and her grandmother.

"Don't take her in." Grams said.

"You have Buffy! You don't need Elena." Bonnie said.

"Buffy's a vampire. You two don't care if she gets trapped in there with me."

"I'll bring the walls down." Grams said.

"You'll bring the walls down if I don't. You think I trust you?"

"As much as I trust you."

"Enough!" Elena ordered. "Both of you. Look, he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside. I get it. I'll go."

Damon reached down and grabbed a torch. "May I?" He nodded to Elena. "Let's go." He said. He reached over and grabbed onto Buffy's jacket sleeve, pulling her behind him.

Once they were officially inside of the tomb, they heard whisperings. "What is that?" Elena asked.

"They can sense you." Damon said.

"Sense me?"

"They've been down here for over a century. You're the first human they've been close to in all of that time. Your blood is like chocolate to a fat kid, for them right now." Buffy said.

"Now, where is she?" Damon walked off. Leaving Elena and Buffy alone.

"Damon!" Elena called.

"Figures." Buffy said.

* * *

Back outside of the door, Anna walks in.

"Hey! You're not going in there." Bonnie said.

"You think you can stop me?" Anna asked.

"Bonnie..." Grams warns.

Bonnie moves out of the way. Anna reaches down and grabs a flashlight off of the ground. She turns and walks into the tomb.

"Why'd you let her go in?" Bonnie asked.

"Because she isn't coming out, baby." Grams said. "None of them are."

* * *

"Damon? Damon!" Elena yelled.

"Give it a rest." Buffy groaned. "He's not coming back for us."

They start to hear more whispers. Elena starts looking around frantically. Her flashlight shines on a body. Elena gasps. "What is that?"

"A vampire." Buffy answers quietly.

Elena gasps and walks backwards. She trips over the leg of another vampire and falls down. She shines her flashlight in front of her and sees another body, the eyes suddenly open. "Ahh!" Elena screams. She gets up and turns around. She slams into Anna.

* * *

"Where's Elena?" Stefan asked, as he walked back inside.

"Damon took her inside." Bonnie said.

"What?!"

"Stefan!"

Grams grabbed ahold of his arm. "If you go in there you won't come out."

"What did you do?"

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just... opened the door."

"What's the seal?"

"Some seals keep vampires from entering. This one keeps them from... Coming out."

"Elena's human. She can leave. Anna and Katherine can't. Buffy and Damon can't." Stefan looked at Grams. "You were never planning on breaking the spell, were you?"

"I told you. I will protect my own. Elena can get out, that's all that matters."

"What about Buffy? She's good! You can't just leave her locked up in there!"

* * *

"You must have a taste for it." Anna said. "You scream and you shriek and even bother to escape, but then you just come right back to it."

"Oh, oh..." Elena tripped over another body.

Anna looks down. "Mother! Mother!" She kneels down to check her mother and then looks back at Elena. "Your boyfriend did this, you know?"

"His father did."

"And Jonathan Gilbert. Made a choice a long time ago that it would be Gilbert blood that brought her back to life. I had Jeremy all ready to go, but..."

"Elena..." Buffy started, but it was too late. Anna was suddenly standing in front of Elena, she bit into Elena's wrist. Elena screamed. "Elena!" Buffy cried.

* * *

Stefan turned towards the door as he heard Elena and Buffy scream. Stefan rushed inside.

"Stefan!" Bonnie cried. She moved towards the door, but Grams blocked it. "You can't just leave him in there Grams!"

"He made his choice!"

"No." Bonnie turned around and grabbed the grimoire up off the ground. "Just tell me what to do. I'll do it!"

"We are not strong enough! Even if we were able to bring the seal down, there's no guarantee that we can get it back up again!"

"You said it yourself... Many things can fuel a witch's power. Help me, or I'll do it alone."

* * *

"Anna! Let her go!" Buffy growled.

"Stay back! Or I'll rip her heart out." Anna said. She held Elena's wrist up to her mother's mouth.

"Please don't! No!" Elena begged.

"Let her go!" Stefan demanded.

That was all the distraction that Buffy needed. She rushed forward and pulled Anna off of Elena. Stefan pulled Elena away from Anna's mother.

"No!" Anna cried.

"Go, Go. I'll be right behind you." Stefan said, pushing Elena in the direction of the door.

"Anna. Annabell. Where am I?"

"Pearl?" Buffy asked.

* * *

Elena ran out of the tomb. Bonnie looked up, relief washing over her. "Elena... Stefan..."

"He's right behind me." Elena said. Stefan and Buffy made it to the door and then they stopped. "Stefan, Buffy, what are you doing?"

"It's gonna be ok." Bonnie said. "We'll fix it."

"What is it?"

"We can't." Stefan said.

"Can't...Can't what?"

"The spell's still up. We can't get them out." Bonnie said. "Yet."

"You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" Elena asked. "Oh my God." She gasped.

"I heard you scream." Stefan whispered.

"Damon's still in there."

"We can't leave him in there. I promised him Stefan." Buffy said.

Stefan nodded. "I know."

"Even if we're able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long." Grams said.

Buffy looked at Stefan. "Make sure they get started. I'll go find Damon."

Stefan grabbed Buffy's arm. "Buffy... They may not be able to hold it open long enough."

"I'm not leaving him in there, Stefan." Buffy turned around and rushed back into the tomb. "Damon! Damon! Where are you?" She found him a few moments later, towards the back of the tomb.

"She's not here!" Damon screamed.

"What?"

"She's not here!" Damon threw the bag of blood against the wall and it busted, coating the wall in blood.

* * *

Anna helped Pearl walk out of the tomb. She looked at Elena. "I just wanted my mother back. Jeremy's fine. He's outside. We won't touch him." She helped her mother walk outside.

"Bonnie, keep going!" Grams shouted. She looked at Elena and Stefan. "They better hurry."

"Buffy, they can't hold it much longer!" Stefan shouted.

* * *

"Damon, we need to get out of here." Buffy said.

"It doesn't make sense." Damon looked around frantically. "They locked her inside."

"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out!"

"How could she not be in here?"

"It's not worth spending all of eternity down here! She's not worth it!" Buffy reached out to grab him.

Damon spun around and slapped her hand away. "No!"

"Damon, come on! I'm trying to help you!"

"She should be here. I don't... I don't understand!"

Buffy reached out to grab him again. She grabbed onto his shoulder, Damon spun around and slammed her against the wall. "Damon..." He acted like he didn't recognize her. She didn't want to fight him. That would take up too much time and energy. She looked into his eyes and sighed. _'I'm so gonna regret this.'_ She thought. She grabbed ahold of his shoulders and pulled him completely against her. He was about to start fighting. She quickly smashed her lips against his. A second later Damon snapped out of it and pressed her harder against the wall. He grabbed onto her hip with one hand and tangled the other in her hair. After a few heated kisses, Damon pulled away. He looked down into her eyes.

"Buffy." He whispered.

"We have to go. Now." Buffy took his hand in hers and pulled him in the direction of the door. Once they were out, the door slammed shut behind them.

"Stefan, we need to check on Jeremy." Elena said. Stefan nodded and followed her outside.

Buffy and Damon walked out behind Bonnie and her grandmother. Damon stopped walking and looked down at the ground. Buffy looked at him and she couldn't help feeling for him. He looked so broken and miserable. Buffy walked up to him and took his hands in hers. "Damon... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She hugged him tightly and he just laid his head on her shoulder.

* * *

Later that night, Damon and Buffy sat in Anna's motel room. The door opened and Anna helped Pearl inside. She looked at them in shock and fear. "You knew Katherine wasn't in there." Damon said.

"You wouldn't have helped me." Anna said. Damon was suddenly in front of Pearl, with his hands around her throat. "No!" Anna cried.

"Why do you get a happy ending?"

"Damon, please, you wouldn't have helped me! You know you wouldn't!"

"Why do you get it and I don't?!"

"The guard, the one at the church, the one who locked us in! She promised to turn him! He was obsessed with her. She had him under her spell, like everybody else!" Pearl choked out. "He let her go." Damon let go of Pearl.

"Last I saw her, was Chicago. 1983." Anna said. "She knew where you were, Damon. She didn't care. Sorry."

Damon looked crestfallen. Buffy walked up behind him and took his hand in hers. "Let's go, Damon. Come on." She pulled him towards the door and closed it behind her.

* * *

Once they arrived back home, Buffy helped Damon to his room. She stood in the doorway and watched as he walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge. "Is there anything I can do?" She asked. Damon shook his head 'no'. Buffy nodded and walked out of his room. She went to her room and changed into a tank top and a pair of sweat pants. As she started to get into her bed, someone knocked on her door. She walked over and opened it. "Damon." She said. "Are you ok?" He shook his head.

"There is something you can do." He said.

Buffy nodded her head. "Ok. What?" Instead of answering her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway and into his room. Buffy looked at him, confused. "Damon..."

"Will you stay in here? With me? Please..."

"What?"

"I don't..." Damon looked down at the ground, when he looked back up at her, he had tears in his eyes. "I don't want to be alone."

Buffy looked at him. Her eyes full of sympathy and understanding. She nodded. "I'll stay." Damon pulled her over to the bed. They both climbed in and pulled the covers up around them. Buffy laid her head down on the pillow next to Damon's, but instead of him laying down on his pillow, he laid his head on her shoulder. He buried his face in her neck and threw one of his arms around her waist. Buffy started to run her fingers through his hair. "It's going to be ok. You're going to be ok, Damon." She whispered to him. And that's when she felt it. The wetness on her neck. Damon was crying.


	10. Isobel

"Damon?" Buffy called as she walked downstairs. She had woken up in Damon's room, alone. "Damon..." She walked into the living-room and almost collided with Stefan.

"Buffy, hey. You alright?" Stefan asked.

"Oh, hey, Stefan. Yeah, I'm fine. Uh, have you seen Damon?"

"Not since last night. Why?"

"No reason."

"Buffy..." Stefan bent down, so that they were eye to eye. **"** Come, on. Talk to me."

Buffy sighed. "It's just... I'm worried about him."

"Me too."

"He was devastated last night, Stefan. We went back to Anna's room and Pearl told him that Katherine had basically compelled a guard to let her out of the church. Then Anna told him that Katherine's known where he was, this whole time."

"That's...wow."

"I know. That bitch!"

Stefan smirked. "Easy now. If I didn't know better... I'd think that you actually like Damon."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "No one deserves to be treated that way."

* * *

Buffy walked up to the house, she had looked everywhere, but there was no sign of Damon. Stefan opened the front door and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. "Anything?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, yeah. He's inside." Stefan said.

"Where the hell has he been?" Buffy went to open the door, but Stefan moved in front of her. Blocking the door. Buffy looked up at Stefan, confused. "What are you doing?"

"I don't think you want to go in there."

"Why?"

"Buffy..."

"Stefan, what is it? What's wrong?"

Stefan sighed and opened the door. "Just remember... I warned you." He walked in and shut the door behind Buffy. The first thing that she heard as she walked into the house was loud music and laughing. Then she smelled it. Blood. At least from 4 different people. She looked over at Stefan quizzically. He sighed and motioned for her to follow him to the library.

As they started in the direction of the library they heard, "How do I taste?" What caught Buffy's attention was the answer.

"Oh, so much better than your friends. But shh. Don't tell them. They might get jealous." Damon slurred. They walked in and saw Damon, with a girl wrapped in his arms. There were a few other girls dancing. They all had numerous bite marks all over their bodies. Buffy turned the lights on as Stefan turned the music off. Damon looked up at them and groaned. "No. Buzzkill Bob. And his sidekick, fun-sucker Betty. Greetings."

"Can we talk?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

"Without the Tri-Delts." Stefan added.

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them. They're really good at keeping secrets." Damon said, waggling his eyebrows up and down.

Buffy sighed. "Damon, please."

He groaned and let go of the sorority girl in his arms. He walked up the steps, to the entrance of the library. "You're worried about me." He said looking at Buffy. "That's nice. Don't be. There's no need. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Spent the last 145 years with one goal, get in that tomb. I succeeded. Granted, Katherine wasn't there to be rescued, but why dwell. No, it's so liberating not having a master plan, because I can do whatever the hell I want."

"That's kind of what we're afraid of." Buffy said.

"Relax. I haven't killed anyone in..." Damon sighed. "Too long."

"Those girls?" Stefan asked.

Damon squints his eyes as he looks over at the sorority girls sitting on the couch. "Will end up in their dorm with headaches, they'll think they blacked out. Business as usual. Predictable you didn't pull me over here for a pep talk. So drink up." He handed Buffy half a bottle of bourbon and turned to Stefan. "Spill it, brother."

"There was a woman you may have known a few years back named Isobel, in North Carolina at Duke." Stefan said.

"You wanna discuss the women in my past right now? Seriously?"

"You killed her."

"What's your point?"

"I just... Just wanna know if you remember anything about her."

"Oh, it's like a needle in a haystack, Stefan."

"Well, think hard. It's important."

"Nothing is important." Damon grabbed onto Stefan's shoulder and pulled him close. He leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Not anymore." **He let go of Stefan and stepped back, reaching over, he took back the bottle of bourbon from Buffy. "Great chat. I have to go and exploit some women in the name of grief, which I'm sure you understand. 'TTFN', said the Tri-Delt." He** chuckled and walked away.

Buffy grabbed Stefan's arm and rushed out of the library, up the stairs and into her bedroom. She shut the door and turned to look at Stefan. "What's going on? What was all of that about?" She asked.

"Elena's mother, her real mother... her name was Isobel. She may have been Alaric's wife."

"You mean the wife that Damon supposedly killed?"

Stefan nodded. "Yeah."

Buffy looked stunned. "Wow."

"Yeah. I know."

"How's she handling all of this?"

"She's still taking it all in. She has the name and address of an old friend of Isobel's. She's not sure if she wants to go or not though."

"Does she know... about Damon?"

"No. I didn't want to tell her until we know for sure that it was Damon who killed her."

"Ok." Just then Stefan's phone started to ring. He looked at it. "Who is it?" Buffy asked.

"It's Alaric." Stefan answered the phone.

* * *

Buffy and Stefan met up with Alaric at the park.

"Thanks for meeting me." Alaric said. "Something's come up."

"Jenna told you." Stefan said.

"Yeah."

"So it's true?" Buffy asked. "Your wife Isobel was Elena's birth mother?"

"What does Elena know?" Alaric asked.

Stefan sighed and crossed his arms. "About your wife?"

"About everything. About you, about Buffy and about your brother."

"She knows what we all are. And she knows that you know about the vampires."

"Does she know about Damon and Isobel?"

"No." Buffy said, shaking her head.

"No." Stefan agreed. "I couldn't tell her, not until I was sure."

"You both said that you'd help me."

"I asked Damon without saying too much. He doesn't remember."

"Ask him again."

"It's not that simple." Buffy said. "Damon is not stable right now."

"You know he murdered my wife or at the very least made a meal out of her. When has he been stable?" Alaric spat.

"I'm telling you not to push this." Stefan said. "We're telling you not to push this." He looked over at Buffy, who nodded in agreement.

"Give me a reason not to."

"Your survival." Buffy said. "How's that for a reason?" She asked, as she cocked her head to the side.

"We'll handle it." Stefan said, leaving no room for argument. "But for now, we need you to let it go."

"Is that what you'll tell Elena? Let it go?" Alaric asked snidely.

"You need to back off!" Buffy growled.

"Leave Elena out of this." Stefan said.

"I need to know what happened. I think you would, too."

Stefan sighed. "I need something more than just your wife's name, a picture, something I could show Damon."

Alaric reached into his wallet and pulled out a folded up photograph. He handed it to Stefan.

* * *

Later that day, Buffy walked into Stefan's room. "Stefan? Stefan, you in here?"

"Better **."** Damon said as he walked out of the bathroom. "Me." He was shirtless and his pants were riding dangerously low on his hips.

"You look, umm..."

"Dashing? Gorgeous?" He walked closer until he was standing right in front of her, then he leaned in, close enough to kiss. "Irresistible?"

"Wrecked. Trashed." Buffy leaned back, away from him. "Completely wasted."

Damon backed up and shrugged. "No reason why. Do you know that I am one of Mystic Falls' most eligible bachelors?"

"Huh. Is that so?"

"Yep." Damon grabbed his shirt and started to put it on.

"So... how're you doing?"

"Never better. Yep."

"Damon..."

"What can I do for you? I'm a barrel of favors today. It's my newfound purpose: how can I help people?"

"Well, I was just going to see if Stefan was going to go to the fundraiser. Didn't wanna go and not know anyone there. Ya know?"

"You're going though, right?"

"Yes. I'll be there. They're selling off hot bachelors, why wouldn't I go?"

He was struggling with the buttons on his shirt. He turned around and gave Buffy a pitiful look. "Help a guy out, will you? I... can't get this."

Buffy rolled her eyes and walked over to him. "Come here." Damon moved his hands and Buffy started buttoning his shirt. "Are you always this whiny and pitiful when you're trashed?"

"Are you going to win yourself a hot bachelor?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Will you try..."

"Will I try what?"

"Will you try to win me?"

"You want me to win you?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Why?"

"Because, I don't like anyone else."

"Why would I want to win you?"

"Cause, I'm hot." Damon gave her a sexy smirk. "And, also, cause you kind of like me."

Buffy rolled her eyes and grinned. "Oh, is that what you think?"

Damon nodded. "Yep."

Before Buffy could reply, Stefan walked in. "Buffy, hey."

"Hey."

"Did you need something?"

"Oh, yeah, I was just wondering if you were going to the fundraiser."

"Yeah, me and Elena will both be there."

"Uhh. I need a bigger jacket." Damon groaned. "Wow. You know, an occasional sorority girl, might, um, you know, help fill you out a little bit."

Buffy rolled her eyes and looked back at Stefan. "Well, I'm just gonna head to my room and get ready."

"Ohh, I'll help." Damon said.

"I don't think so."

Damon grinned. "You might need my help."

"Why would I need your help?"

"You might need me to help you find something pretty to wear."

"Nope." Buffy walked out of Stefan's room.

* * *

"Where'd Elena go?" Damon asked, as he caught sight of Buffy and Stefan in the hallway.

"She's on her way to the Grill." Stefan said. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you." Stefan pulled the picture of Isobel out of his pocket and showed it to Damon. "This is the woman, Isobel, from North Carolina. Remember her now?"

Damon paused and glanced at the picture. "Who wants to know?"

"We do." Buffy said, gesturing between Stefan and herself.

"Who else wants to know?"

"Did you kill her?" Stefan asked.

"Sorry. Don't know her. Hey are you guys coming? The real housewives of Mystic Falls await."

* * *

Buffy and Stefan walked into the Grill. Stefan turned and looked at Buffy. "I'm going to go find Elena."

Buffy nodded. "Ok. I'll find you guys later." Stefan walked off. Buffy looked around for Damon. When she spotted him, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Damon was talking to a woman and from what Buffy could tell, the woman was clearly into him. Buffy walked up to them. "Soo, I'm guessing that I don't need to buy those tickets after all."

Damon turned to look at her. "Buffy." He let his eyes rack up and down her form, taking in every detail of her outfit. "You look very sexy tonight." He gave her a panty dropping smirk.

"Thank you." She was wearing a mid-thigh length black sleeveless dress. The neckline of the dress was very low and showed a good amount of cleavage. The dress clung to her curves beautifully. On her feet were a pair of gold high heeled sandles. Her hair hung down her back in soft waves.

"Ahem." The woman beside Damon said, whenever Damon kept gazing at Buffy.

"Oh, Carol, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Carol Lockwood, this is an old friend of mine, Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is Carol Lockwood. Her husband is the mayor."

"It's very nice to meet you." Buffy said.

"You too. Are you going to be staying long? Or are you just visiting?" Carol asked.

Buffy caught the bitchy-ness of her tone. "I haven't decided yet."

"Well I need to go." Carol said, walking away.

"She clearly doesn't like me." Buffy said.

"Who cares." Damon said.

"I think she's jealous."

"She should be. Have you seen you? You look..." Damon trailed off, looking at her again. "Mmm... Sexy."

Buffy rolled her eyes and grinned. "You said that, already."

"Well I meant it."

"I meant that she wants you and she's jealous because she probably thinks I'm stealing you from her."

"Who cares. Let her be jealous. Now go buy some tickets."

* * *

Buffy walked into the main room and looked around.

"Buffy! Hey, over here." Elena called.

Buffy walked over to the table and saw another girl sitting beside of Elena. "Hey Elena." Buffy said, sitting down.

"Buffy, this is my Aunt Jenna. Jenna, this is Buffy."

"It's nice to meet you, Buffy." Jenna said.

"You too."

"Buffy, you look amazing." Elena said.

"Thank you." Buffy said.

"Hey." Damon said, as he suddenly appeared next to her.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Did you buy any tickets?"

"Yes, Damon."

"How many?"

"Fifty."

"That's not enough."

"I'm sure it will be enough, Damon."

"Nope. Here, I bought you some more." He handed her thirty more tickets.

"Damon. You're making me look obsessed."

"No. I'm just trying to help you win me."

"Ok. What happens if I do win you?"

"I have an awesome date planned." He grinned at her. "Gotta go." He walked over to the stage.

"Do I even wanna know?" Elena asked.

"He wants me to win him." Buffy said.

"Why?" Elena asked. "I mean, not that you're not pretty. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant, uh, that, uh, it's Damon and well..."

"Elena, relax." Buffy said, laughing. "I know what you meant."

"Ok. Good."

"I don't know why."

"Shh... They're starting." Jenna said.

Up on stage, Carol was in the middle of introducing the bachelors. **"And what do you do, bachelor number 3?"**

"Yeah, I'm a plumber." He answered.

"Well isn't that wonderful? We could always use more plumbers. Moving on. Number 4, 'Alaric Saltzman'. Wow. That's quite a mouthful. What do you do Alaric?"

"I'm a teacher at Mystic Falls High." Alaric answered.

"Oh, beauty and brains, ladies. This one's a keeper. What do you teach?"

"History."

"History. Oh, well, give us a fun fact about Mystic Falls, something crazy."

"Uh, well, uh..." He looked over at Damon, getting distracted.

"He's probably saving the best stories for his date. And last, but not least, Damon Salvatore. We don't have much on you."

"Well, I'm tough to fit on a card." Damon said.

"Do you have any hobbies, like to travel?"

"Oh, yeah. L.A., New York. Couple of years ago, I was in Noth Carolina, near the Duke campus, actually... I think... I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric? Yeah, cause I... I know your wife did. I had a drink with her once. She was... she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? Cause she was... Delicious. Mmm! Mmm Mmm Mmm."

"Are you ok?" Jenna asked Elena.

"I just need some air." Elena stood up and rushed off.

"I'll go see if she's ok." Buffy told Jenna. Buffy walked off and found Stefan.

"Elena..." Stefan started.

"He killed her?" Elena asked. "Damon was the vampire that killed her?"

"I don't know what happened. Alaric said that they never found the body."

"Oh, my god."

"I know. I'm sorry. We wanted to tell you, but we just... we wanted to know more."

"I was feeling sorry for him, hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him. I'm so stupid."

"Elena, listen. He doesn't know about the connection to you." Buffy said.

"I thought about confronting him, but he's already so on edge." Stefan said.

"Why are you both protecting him?" Elena cried.

"Because you're not the only one hoping that he might actually change."

Elena looked over Stefan's shoulder. "That man." Both Stefan and Buffy turned and spotted the man Elena was talking about. He was staring at Elena. "I saw that man outside of Trudie's."

"Get back inside. Come on." Stefan urged Elena back inside. Buffy stared at the man for a few moments, before following them back inside.

"Whoa, easy there." Damon said, as Elena ran into him. "Buy a ticket like everyone else."

"Did you enjoy that? Rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman?" Elena asked.

"What?"

"Just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you."

"Elena..." Stefan started.

Buffy shook her head. "Don't."

"Am I missing something here?" Damon asked.

"Did I forget to mention earlier that I found my birth mother? You know, the one that gave me up?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Her name was Isobel. Go ahead. Reminisce about how you killed her." Elena pushed passed Damon and walked out. Stefan followed her out.

"I did not see that coming." Damon said.

"How could you" Buffy said.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"You've been kind of on edge. And... cause I was hoping that it wasn't true. That it wasn't you."

Damon smiled slightly. "Thank you. For that. Next time though, just come out and say it. Whatever it is, ok?"

Buffy nodded. "Ok."

"Come on. Let's go."

"You don't wanna see who won you?"

"You did. Just now." Damon held his hand out to her. Buffy grabbed his hand and Damon pulled her out to his car.

* * *

Once they were both inside of the car and on their way home, Buffy turned to look at Damon. "So, did you really kill Isobel?"

"Not exactly." Damon said.

"Not exactly? You turned her."

"Bingo."

"Why?"

"She found me. Begged me to turn her. She was obsessed with it."

"Huh. Well Alaric did say that it was her job to research the paranormal."

"So, I turned her. Haven't thought about it. Well, until now."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

Buffy shrugged. "The truth."

"We're home."

* * *

Damon opened the front door and Buffy followed him in. "Buffy." Damon said, as she started to walk up the stairs.

Buffy paused on the third step and turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

"There's something... I need... I need to ask you something."

"All right."

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since it happened. Why did you kiss me that night, in the tomb?"

"Well, uh, you were in shock. That's the only thing that I could think of to snap you out of it."

"Uh huh. Why didn't you just beat me up?"

"Hey, I tried to talk to you. The second I touched you... You tried to fight me. The door was closing and we didn't have a lot of time. Fighting you would have took too much time."

Damon nodded. "I'm glad you did it. I would never hurt you."

Buffy smiled slightly. "I know."

"Oh and Buffy...?"

"Yeah?"

Damon was suddenly standing in front of her. He grabbed onto her waist with one hand and the back of her head with his other hand and pulled her to him, kissing her. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. After a few heated moments, Damon pulled away. He grinned down at her. "You're an amazing kisser."


	11. The other Damon

Buffy woke up, got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to take a shower. As she stood under the spray of the hot water, her mind drifted to Damon. _'Why did he kiss me?'_ She thought to herself. _'Why did I kiss him back?'_ Suddenly, her thoughts shifted to her past.

 ***Flashback***

"My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I swear it is an angel that stands in front of me."

"You are far too kind, Sir. I assure you, I am no angel."

"I am not yet convinced. You look like an angel and your voice is heavenly."

 ***End Flashback***

 _'No!'_ Buffy shook her head, in an attempt to clear her thoughts. _'No, I will not think about him!'_ She turned off the shower and stepped out. She wrapped herself in a towel and headed towards her room to get dressed.

* * *

Buffy walked downstairs and stopped in the foyer. She looked around and smelled the air. _'Uh, oh.'_

Damon opened the front door and walked in. "Good morning." He said.

"There's another vampire in the house." Buffy said.

"What?"

"Maybe more than one."

"Where?"

"The living-room."

Damon nodded and headed towards the living-room. Buffy followed him. Once they walked into the living-room they saw Pearl and Anna. "Hello, Damon, Buffy." Pearl said.

"Ever hear of knocking?" Damon asked.

"An invitation wasn't necessary. I'm surprised that no living person resides here. Is it just you and your brother?" Pearl asked.

"Yeah and Buffy."

"Yeah, how do you keep out unwelcome vampires?" Anna asked.

"Kill them." Damon said, rushing towards Pearl and grabbing her by the throat. Pearl grabbed onto Damon's arm and started to squeeze. "Ungh!" Damon cried. Pearl pulled his arm away from her throat and threw him down on the ground. "Damn."

"Have a seat, Damon." Pearl said, as Damon sat down on the couch. "I was hoping we could have a word."

"Sure." Damon said.

"So, Pearl. I thought you and Anna were leaving town." Buffy said.

"We've taken up residence at a farmhouse just outside of town. It'll suffice for now." Pearl said.

"All 25 vampires?" Damon asked.

"Not all. Some. I imagine that a few have already left town. Others are probably still in the woods or like us, acclimating."

"How'd they get out of the tomb?"

"I think the witch screwed up that part of her hocus pocus." Anna said.

"Oh." Both Damon and Buffy said.

"I understand from Anna, that the founding families still have a secret council?" Pearl asked.

"And you're a part of it." Anna said, looking at Damon.

"Psh.. that's ridiculous." Damon said.

"I've been in Mystic Falls since the comet, Damon. I'm up to speed."

"And so am I." Pearl said. "And now that you've infiltrated the council, I'll need to know everything they know. Starting with a list of names of all the council members and their families."

"And everyone that you've supplied with vervain." Anna said.

"Yes, that will have to stop immediately."

"What exactly are you trying to achieve?" Damon asked.

"Mystic Falls is our home, Damon. They took that from us. Our land. Our homes. It's time we rebuild."

"What are you, crazy? That was 1864. Wake up woman! The world has moved on."

"As a reward for your help, I'm willing to give you what you want most."

"I want nothing."

"Katherine."

"You wouldn't even know where she was. You've been under the ground for the last century and a half."

"Katherine and I were best friends long before we came to Mystic Falls, Damon. I know how she thinks. I know her patterns. I know where to find her."

"I no longer have any desire to see Katherine ever again. And there's no way in hell I'm gonna play the role of your little minion."

"I'm not asking for your help, Damon." Pearl shoved Damon back down onto the couch as he tried to stand up. "Finding Katherine was just a mere gesture of kindness. The rest is non-negotiable." Suddenly Pearl rushed forward and shoved her thumbs into Damon's eyes.

"Ahh!" Damon screamed.

"Damon!" Buffy cried. She rushed forward and jerked Pearl off of Damon.

"I have 400 years on you, little boy." Pearl said.

"And I have 400 years on you, Pearl." Buffy said. "Walk away, or I will kill you."

"I'll be in touch." Pearl said, as her and Anna walked out of the house.

Buffy ran over to Damon. "Let me see." She said, as she pulled his hands away from his eyes. His eyes were milky white and there was blood everywhere. She helped him up onto the couch. "Sit still. I'll be right back." She ran to the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth and a towel. She then ran to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl and filled it up with warm water. Lastly, she grabbed two blood bags from the fridge and rushed back to the living-room.

* * *

 ***Flashback***

"You are going to be an amazing vampire my dear sweet, Buffy."

"Well... I have an amazing teacher." She smiled up at him.

"Yes, you do." He smiled down at her.

"So... What are you going to teach me?"

"Everything."

 ***End Flashback***

* * *

Buffy walked outside to the garage and saw Stefan, Elena, Caroline and Matt. "I thought I heard someone out here." She said.

"Hey, Buffy." Stefan said.

"What are you guys up to?"

"Double date." Elena explained.

"Oh. Well let me just get out of your way." Buffy turned to go back inside.

"No!" Both Caroline and Elena cried.

"No, Buffy. Stay and hang out with us." Elena said.

"Are you guys sure?"

"Totally." Caroline said.

"Absolutely." Stefan nodded.

Buffy smiled. "Ok then." The boys turned back towards the car they were working on. "Wow, nice car!" Buffy said. "Who's is it?"

"It's mine." Stefan said.

"Man, I miss my car! I might have someone bring it over."

"What kind of car do you have?" Matt asked.

"1968 Camaro Super-Sport."

Stefan whistled. "Nice."

"I know." Buffy grinned.

"So... Why don't you drive your car?" Matt asked Stefan.

"Well, it doesn't run. I mean, it's not that I could figure out." Stefan said.

"Why would you keep a car that doesn't run?" Caroline asked.

"Be more of a girl right now." Matt joked.

"Why don't you come take a look at this for me." Stefan said.

"Elena, remember that old Camaro your dad used to have?" Matt asked.

"Of course." Elena said.

"Man, I built and rebuilt that engine 20 times."

"Wow." Stefan said.

"I don't like sports cars. They're too hard to make-out in." Caroline said.

"Nah, it wasn't that bad." Matt said. Caroline ran out of the garage. Elena sighed and followed her. "I'm sorry man." Matt said.

"No, no. Don't worry about it. You and Elena, you guys have a history and ignoring it doesn't do anybody any good." Stefan said.

"She's good with you. You know I wasn't sure, but she's happy. And I'm glad." Stefan nodded his thanks. "All right. Let's take a look at this." They went back to working on the car. Once they got it running they drove it outside. They pulled up beside of Elena and Caroline. Matt got out of the passenger seat. "Piece of cake." Matt said.

"You know what? Why don't you guys go ahead and take it for a spin?" Stefan suggested.

"Really?" Matt asked.

"Yeah."

Matt opened the passenger side door. "Caroline." Caroline got in. Matt got in the driver's seat and they drove off.

"You all right?" Stefan asked Elena.

"If it's not vampires, it's girlfriends." Elena said.

"Well, I don't know a lot about girlfriend drama... So, I can't help you there." Buffy said.

Elena smiled at her.

* * *

Once Matt and Caroline returned, they all decided to go inside and watch a movie. As soon as they walked inside everyone stopped. Damon had his back against the wall and a woman was on top of him.

"Mom?!" Matt asked.

"Damon?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, my God, Matt." Kelly Donovan said. "Oh, my God." She got off of Damon, grabbed her purse and ran out the door.

"I got to..." Matt started, pointing towards the door.

"It's fine. Just go." Caroline said.

"I'll take her home." Elena said.

"Thanks man." Matt said, handing the car keys back to Stefan. As Matt walked out the door everyone turned to look at Damon.

* * *

 ***Flashback***

They were both lying in bed, facing each other. He traces her lips with his fingertips.

"You are mine." He says.

"Forever and Always." She says.

 ***End Flashback***

* * *

"Don't look at me like that." Damon said, as Stefan and Buffy walked back into the library.

"Are you crazy?" Stefan asked.

"Save the lecture. Look..."

Suddenly a vampire jumped through the window and stabbed Stefan in the chest with a piece of broken glass. "Ahh!" Stefan cried.

"Stefan!" Buffy screamed.

The vampire stood up and rushed Damon. Buffy ran over to Stefan and helped him pull the glass out of his chest. Just then, a female vampire jumped through the window. Stefan tried to stab her with the piece of glass. She caught his hand and threw him into the wall. Buffy growled and rushed the vampire, punching her in the face. The vamp tried to punch Buffy, but Buffy blocked the hit and grabbed the vamp's throat. She held the vamp off of the ground as Stefan grabbed a piece of broken chair and staked her.

Damon head-butted the male vamp and then threw him across the room. The vamp looked at Damon, Stefan and Buffy, then at his dead companion on the floor and then he rushed out of the house.

"Damn it." Damon said.

"I remember them." Stefan said. "From 1864. They were in the tomb."

"Yeah... about that..." Damon started.

"They got out." Buffy finished.

"How?" Stefan asked.

"The witches messed up." Damon said.

"Stefan, you should go clean up. Eat something." Buffy said. Stefan nodded and went off towards his room.

"All right. Say it." Damon said.

"Say what?" Buffy asked.

"You're obviously mad at me. So come on, yell."

"I'm not mad."

"You saw me kissing another woman."

"Yes."

"So..."

"So, nothing."

"Come on, Buffy. I know you're pissed."

"No, I'm not."

"Buffy..."

Buffy sighed. **"** Look, Damon... I'm not mad at you. Why would I be? Me and you... We're not together. We kissed. Twice. And yes, it was amazing, but it didn't mean that we were together. I like you. I admit it. But I've been with someone like you and..."

"And what?"

"It didn't work out. And I don't want to go there again."

"Buffy..."

"It hurt. Seeing you with her. It hurt. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"I'm sorry."

"Goodnight, Damon."

* * *

 ***Flashback***

"I love you, Buffy. My sweet Buffy."

"I love you."

"You are mine."

"Forever and Always."

"You will never leave me."

"Never. And you shall never leave me."

"Never."

 ***End Flashback***


	12. Frederick

Buffy and Damon were in the library, boarding up the window that the vampires had broken the night before.

"I say we go to Pearl's, bust down the door and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night." Damon said.

"Yeah. And then what? We turn to the rest of that house of vampires and say 'Oops. Sorry?'" Buffy said, sarcastically.

Damon shrugged his shoulders.

Elena and Stefan walked into the room. "I can't believe you made a deal with Pearl." Elena said to Damon.

"It was more like a helpful exchange of information." Damon said. "And it was not like I had a choice. She's... Scary. Besides, she's gonna help me get Katherine back."

"Of course she is. Damon gets what he wants, as usual. No matter who he hurts in the process." Elena said.

"You don't have to be snarky about it." Damon said.

"I woke up this morning to learn that all the vampires have been released from the tomb. I've earned snarky."

"Ugh. How long are you gonna blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?"

"I'm not blaming you, Damon. I've accepted the fact that you're a self-serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities."

"Ouch."

"This isn't being very productive." Stefan said.

"I disagree, Stefan." Buffy said. "Watching Elena tear into Damon is highly productive. For me." She smirked.

"Ooh. Someone's grumpy." Damon said.

"We're gonna figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires. Yeah?" Stefan said.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah."

Stefan looked at Damon. "Damon."

Damon stood up and walked out of the room.

Elena looked at Stefan and Buffy. "I'm sorry. He just makes me so cranky." Elena said.

"I know. He makes everybody cranky." Stefan said.

"You should try living with him." Buffy said.

Elena laughed. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Damon, Buffy and I are going to handle everything. I promise." Stefan assured her.

"Well, what about me? I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"That's exactly what you're gonna do, because that is what's gonna keep you safe."

"Which means nothing if you're not safe, too."

"What do you mean? I'm perfectly safe. Tell her, Buffy."

Buffy nodded. "He's perfectly safe. He has Damon, the self-serving psychopath on his side."

Stefan laughed. "Exactly."

"Well, that's comforting." Elena groaned.

"Don't worry, Elena. I won't let anything happen to him." Buffy said.

* * *

Later that day, Buffy was lying on the couch in the library, reading. Damon was setting the clock on the wall.

"Hunting party?" Damon asked Stefan, as he walked into the library.

"That guy did a number on me last night when he stabbed me. I've gotta get my strength back up." Stefan said.

"I've got 2 liters of soccer mom in the fridge." Stefan shot him a glare. "No?" Damon grinned.

"We'll talk when I get back?"

"All right. Give my regards to the squirrels."

Stefan walked out the door.

Buffy glanced at the door, then at Damon. "Should one of us go with him?"

"Nah. He'll be fine." Damon said.

* * *

Buffy and Damon knocked on Elena's door. When Stefan hadn't returned after a few hours, they knew something was wrong. Elena opened the door and they walked right in. "You're ignoring me." Damon said.

"The 6 missed calls?" Elena asked. "Sorry. My phone's dead."

"Is Stefan here?" Buffy asked.

"No. Why? Something wrong?"

"He went out to the woods and didn't come back." Buffy explained.

"We can't get him on his phone. I figured he was here with you." Damon said.

Elena grabbed her phone and called Stefan. "It's going straight to voicemail. Where could he be?"

"You're not going to like what I'm thinking." Buffy said.

"I already know what you're thinking and I don't like it." Damon said.

"Come on." Buffy said, as she walked towards the door.

"Where are you guys going?" Elena asked.

"Just stay here." Damon said, as he and Buffy walked out the door.

* * *

Damon and Buffy banged on the door to the house where Pearl was staying. "Pearl! Open this door. I swear to God I'll bust through and rip your head off." Damon yelled.

"Pearl! Pearl, open this door! Now!" Buffy yelled.

The male vampire that had attacked Damon and stabbed Stefan opened the door. "Pearl's not home." He said. He looked outside at the dark sky and rain. "Hmm... Beautiful weather. Not a ray of sun in the sky."

"Where's my brother?"

"Billy." The vamp opened the door wider to reveal two vamps dragging a beaten Stefan into the hallway.

"You're dead." Damon growled. He and Buffy started to attack, but they slammed into the barrier.

"Whoa. I'm sorry. You haven't been invited in." The vamp grinned. "Miss Gibbons?"

"Yes, Frederick honey?" Miss gibbons said, walking in.

"Never let these bad people in."

"I'll never let them in."

"145 years left starving in a tomb, thanks to Katherine's infatuation with you and your brother. First few weeks, every single nerve in your body screams with fire. The kind of pain that can drive a person mad. Well... I thought your brother might've wanted to get a taste of that before I killed him." Frederick moved to the side of the door and called over his shoulder. "Billy."

Billy shoved a stake into Stefan's side. "Uhh!" Stefan cried out in pain.

Buffy growled. "I will kill you." She told Frederick.

"You have a nice day." Frederick shut the door.

"Ahh!" Buffy screamed in frustration. For the first time since Damon had met her, she let her face change. Instead of their usual green, her eyes were now bright silver. "I'm going to rip his heart out!"

"Buffy, you have to calm down." Damon said.

"We have to do something, Damon!"

"I know."

"We have to get in there! We've got to get him out of there."

"I know."

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. I don't know how to get him out."

"We need someone to get that woman out of the house."

"Who?"

"Alaric."

"The history teacher?"

"He's kind of a badass."

"All right. Let's go."

* * *

Buffy and Damon stepped in front of Alaric in a hallway at the school. "Well, don't you look...Alive?" Damon said.

"You can't hurt me." Alaric said.

"Oh, I can hurt you, all right."

"Damon... Not now." Buffy warned. "Alaric, we need your help."

"I'm not helping him." He motioned to Damon.

"Stefan's in trouble. Please." Buffy pleaded.

Alaric sighed. "Follow me." They followed him into his classroom, where Elena was waiting.

"What's she doing here?" Buffy asked Damon.

"I don't know. I told her what was going on and that we were coming here. But, I told her to stay at home." Damon said, shooting Elena a pointed look.

"I couldn't just sit at home and do nothing. It's Stefan." Elena said.

Buffy shook her head. "Whatever. Look Alaric, Stefan's in a house just outside of town. He's being tortured by a bunch of asshole vamps. Me and Damon are vampires, so, we can't get in. We need you."

"I can go." Elena insisted.

"No." Damon said. "Your life is valuable." He cast a look at Alaric. "Yours on the other hand..."

"Look..." Buffy interjected. "We know about your ring."

"What about it?"

"Let me recap." Damon said. "You tried to kill me. I defended myself. You died. Then according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life. Am I... Am I leaving anything out?"

"Yeah. The part where I try and kill you again." Alaric said.

"I don't care what your problem is with Damon. This is Stefan we're talking about. He needs our help." Buffy said.

"I'm sorry, Buffy. But it's not my problem."

"That's a shame. Because the woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife." Damon said.

"You're lying."

"Am I? Why don't you ask her for yourself? Coward."

"Come on, Damon." Buffy said. She and Damon started walking towards the door.

"All right! Wait. I'll go." Alaric sighed.

"Great." Damon said.

* * *

Alaric laid a few weapons out on his desk.

"Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night." Damon said.

"I have you to thank for that." Alaric said.

"What are these?" Elena asked.

"Those are tranquilizer darts filled with vervain."

"Awesome." Buffy said.

"Just get us in. We'll get Stefan out." Damon said.

"That's your plan? You're just gonna take them all on yourselves?" Elena asked.

"Well, we'll be a little stealthier than that, hopefully." Buffy said.

Elena grabbed one of the darts. "Whoa. What are you doing?" Alaric asked.

"I'm going with you guys." Elena said.

"I don't think so." Buffy said, shaking her head.

"No, no, no. No way." Damon said.

"You need me." Elena protested.

"No we don't." Damon argued.

"I'll get in. You guys can distract them and I'll get Stefan out."

"You'll get yourself killed. You're not going in there." Buffy said.

"I'm going."

"So when you get us in, get out as quickly as you can." Buffy told Alaric.

"We know how to sneak around where they can't hear us. You'll basically just be in the way." Damon said.

"Guys, now is not the time to be the lone rangers." Elena said.

"Elena, you can drive the getaway car. Hmm? You're not going in the house." Damon said.

"You can't stop me. It's Stefan we're talking about here. You don't understand."

"Oh, I understand. I understand. He's the reason you live. His love lifts you up where you belong. I get it."

"Can you just not joke around for 2 seconds?"

"We can't protect you, Elena."

"Damon's right." Buffy said. "We don't know how many vampires there are in there." She snapped her fingers. "That's how long it takes you to get your head ripped off. We have to be able to get in and get out. We can't be distracted with your safety. OR this will end up a bloodbath that none of us walk away from... Including Stefan."

Elena looked crestfallen and on the verge of tears.

"I know." "Damon said. "I get it."

"We understand." Buffy told her.

"If we're gonna go, let's go." Alaric said.

* * *

Buffy and Damon were waiting for Alaric on the back porch. Buffy was twirling a stake in her right hand.

"You seem... Calm." Damon said.

"Nah. I'm anxious. I haven't had a good fight in years." Buffy said.

"Someday you're going to have to tell me some stories."

"Maybe."

Alaric opened the back door and looked at Miss Gibbons. "Can you invite my friends inside?" He asked her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. They're not allowed in the house." Miss Gibbons said.

"Yeah. I know. But you're gonna have to make an exception."

"Get her out of the house. Now!" Damon said. Alaric ushered Miss Gibbons outside. "Miss Gibbons, now tell me the truth. Are you married?"

"No."

"Parents, Children, anyone else who lives on this property?"

"No. It's just me."

"Good." Damon snapped her neck.

Buffy walked inside, followed by Damon. Alaric looked down at Miss Gibbons' body and then at Damon. "You were supposed to compel her!"

"It doesn't work that way..."

"She's human!"

"And I'm not! So I don't care. Now, get out of here. And get rid of the body!"

"Let's find Stefan." Buffy said.

"Billy, what's the holdup?" They heard Frederick yell from another room.

"Someone's coming." Buffy said. Damon grabbed her and pulled her into the pantry. Damon waited for a moment, letting the vamp get right in front of the door before he kicked it open, knocking the vamp in the head. The vamp stumbled backwards. Damon advanced forward and staked him.

"I wanted to stake him." Buffy pouted.

"Hey, now. None of that. There are plenty more vamps for you to stake."

"You're right." Buffy nodded. "Let's keep moving."

They found an entrance to the cellar and made their way down. Buffy paused at the bottom of the stairs, Damon bumped into her back and gave her a questioning look. _'Vampire'_ Buffy mouthed and pointed towards the door. Buffy took out a vervain dart and stabbed the vampire in the neck. They both stepped out into the hallway and looked in front of them. Elena was standing awkwardly in front of them.

"Are you insane?" Damon demanded.

"I...I..." Elena stammered.

"She's here now. Let's just find Stefan and go." Buffy said.

They opened the door the vamp had been guarding. Elena went in first, followed by Buffy and then Damon.

"Elena..." Stefan gasped. "You shouldn't be here..."

"She was supposed to stay in the car." Damon said. He pulled out a stake and started to stake the other vampire that was staked down to a chair.

"No. No. No. Not him." Stefan said.

"Whatever. Let's get you down." Damon grabbed the ropes. "Ahh!" He yelled in pain.

"There's vervain on the ropes." Stefan explained.

"Elena, pull that." Damon and Buffy caught Stefan as Elena freed the ropes.

"All right. Let's go." Buffy said.

"Clothes on." Damon said to Stefan.

"Wait." Stefan said.

"What?" Damon asked.

"Guys, come on. We have to get out of here." Buffy said.

Stefan pulled the stake out of the other vampire's left leg.

"Come on, we gotta go." Damon said.

"The other one." Stefan told Elena, pointing to the stake in the vamp's right leg. Elena pulled it out.

"Can you get him in the car?" Damon asked Elena.

"Yeah." Elena said.

"All right, go."

"What about you two?"

"You rescue, we'll distract. Go."

She took Stefan up the stairs that led outside. Buffy and Damon went up the stairs that led back inside the house.

"You ready?" Damon asked Buffy, as he pulled out a stake.

She pulled out a stake as well and grinned up at him. "Hell yeah."

Damon grinned back at her. **"All right. Let's start at the back and work our way up."**

"Ok."

They moved towards the front of the house. They could here music playing. "Turn that down." They heard Frederick say. Buffy moved behind a female vamp. "It's too quiet." Frederick said. Buffy staked the vamp and ran out of sight. "Spread out. Now!" Frederick said. Damon staked a male vamp in the kitchen. Buffy got another two in the living-room. She ran out into the hallway to see Damon fighting Frederick. Two vamps started to pull Damon off of Frederick, Buffy grabbed one of them and slammed him into the wall. She punched him a few times before she threw him to the ground and staked him. Damon finished off his vampire and turned to her.

"Where's Frederick?"

Buffy looked around. "Damn it! He's gone."

"I'm going after him."

"Not without me." Buffy said.

They searched the entire house, but Frederick was gone. They walked back into the hallway, where Alaric was standing over another vampire body. "Let's get out of here." Damon said.

"I swear, once I find Frederick, I'm going to rip his head off!" Buffy growled.

"You know..." Damon said, looking Buffy up and down. "I like this angry, vengeful you. You're kind of turning me on right now." He smirked.

"Shut up." Buffy laughed.

They walked out onto the front porch and froze. There was a small army of vampires along with Pearl and Anna, approaching them. "How many of those vervain darts you have left?" Damon asked.

"One." Alaric said.

"Not gonna be enough." They retreated back into the house.

"So, what you said to get me to do this, about my wife. It was a lie, wasn't it?"

"Yep."

The vampires started banging on the door, trying to get in. "Stop. What's going on here?" Pearl demanded from outside. The door opened and Pearl and Anna walked inside. They took in the bodies of dead vampires. "What did you do?"

"Me?" Damon asked. "Your merry little band of vampires spent the day torturing my brother."

"Trust me. The parties responsible for this will be delt with."

"Our little arrangement doesn't work unless you learn to control them."

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Well, it did. If I had a good side... Not a way to get on it."

Damon opened the door and walked out, followed by Alaric and Buffy.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked inside the boarding house. "So...That was fun, huh?" Damon asked.

"Oh, yeah. Tons." Buffy rolled her eyes playfully.

"So..."

"So..."

Damon rushed forward and pinned Buffy against the front door. He pressed his lips against hers and kissed her. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. After a long, heated moment, Buffy pulled back.

"Why do you keep kissing me?" She asked.

"Because I like kissing you."

"I'm not going to be your rebound for Katherine."

"You're definitely not a rebound."

"What are you saying?"

Damon sighed. "I'm saying... I'm done looking for her."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Buffy nodded. "This doesn't mean anything. At least, not right now."

"Ok."

They headed upstairs to check on Stefan. The door to his room was open so they walked in. Once they did, they froze. Emptied blood bags were lying everywhere. Their eyes landed on Stefan, sitting on the ground, drinking from one of them.


	13. Jonathan Gilbert

Buffy tossed and turned in her sleep.

 ***Buffy's Dream***

He looks at her, disappointment evident in his eyes. "My sweet Buffy, you have been a very naughty girl."

Buffy shakes her head in confusion. "I...I don't understand."

"You left me."

Buffy nodded her head. "Yes."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"You promised to never leave me. You promised me forever!"

"I'm sorry."

"Have you promised Damon forever?"

"How did you... How do you know about him?"

He smirks. "I always know what you're doing, Buffy." He starts walking towards her. "You are mine. No matter where you are or what you're doing, you are still mine. That will never change."

 _ ***End Dream***_

Buffy's eyes shot open. She sat up and groaned. _'Great. Now he's haunting my sleep.'_ She thought to herself. She got out of bed and headed off to take a shower.

* * *

Buffy walked downstairs and ran into Damon. "Whoa. Easy there." Damon said, as he helped her regain her balance.

"Sorry." Buffy said.

"You ok? You seem a little... Off."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. I'm good. Just, didn't get much sleep."

Damon smirked. "Ah. Were you having naughty dreams about me?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "A world of no."

"If you say so." Damon grabbed his jacket and put it on.

"Where are you off to?"

"Council meeting. I'll be back later." Damon walked out the door.

* * *

Buffy walked into Stefan's room. She knocked on the open door. "Mind if I come in?" She asked.

Stefan smiled at her from where he was sitting at the foot of his bed. "Sure."

Buffy walked over and sat down beside of him. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm fine."

"Really?" Buffy looked at him doubtfully.

Stefan sighed. "Yes. Really."

"Stefan, you know you can talk to me, right?"

"I know that, Buffy. But really, I'm fine. So where's Damon?"

Buffy noticed how quickly he changed the subject, but she didn't comment on it. "Council meeting."

"Ah." Stefan said, nodding. "So, are you going to the Founder's Day Kick-off party?"

"I'm not sure. I hadn't heard anything about it."

"Well, now you have. And you should definitely come."

Buffy grinned. "I'll think about it."

"Ok, then."

* * *

Later that day, Buffy and Damon knocked on Elena's front door. Elena had called Damon and asked him to come over and to bring Buffy with him. Elena opened the door. "Oh, good. You're here." She said.

"You ask, we come." Damon said, walking inside, followed by Buffy. "We're easy like that."

"So, what's up?" Buffy asked.

"Let's talk upstairs." Elena said, pointing to where Jeremy was sitting, eating cereal. Elena started up the stairs.

"No, Elena, I will not... Go to your bedroom with you." Damon said, loudly. Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, pulling him up the stairs. Elena opened the door to her bedroom and Damon walked in first. "Ah... Just like I remembered."

"Shut up." Buffy said.

Damon walked oved and jumped onto Elena's bed, picking up the teddy bear that was lying there. "You know, did you know that your Uncle's been kickin' it with the Founder's Council?"

"What?" Elena asked.

"Yep."

"Perfect. We'll just add it to the growing list of how everything's falling apart."

Buffy noticed a broken lamp on the floor. "What happened right there?" She asked Elena, pointing to the lamp.

Elena and Damon looked to where Buffy was pointing. "Uh, nothing." Elena said. "Look, I... I'm worried about Stefan. He says that everything's ok, but he's clearly struggling. How long is it gonna take before he's back to normal?"

"Few days, give or take." Damon said.

"It's been a few days."

"Give, then. I don't know." Damon said, shrugging nonchalantly. "What's the big deal?"

"He's not himself, Damon."

Damon got up and handed Elena the teddy bear. He wandered over to her dresser. "Well, maybe his problem is he's spent too long not being himself." He opened a drawer and pulled out one of Elena's bras. "Ooh."

Buffy walked over to Damon and took the bra out of his hands and put it back in the drawer. "Stop that. Only Stefan's allowed to see those." Buffy scolded.

"Well, then. Who's allowed to see yours?" Damon smirked.

"Not you."

"Why not?" He pouted.

"Guys." Elena said.

"It is what it is, Elena." Damon said. **"** The Stefan you know, was 'Good Behavior' Stefan, 'Reign It In' Stefan, 'Fight Against His Nature To An Annoyingly Obsessive Level' Stefan. But if you think there's not another part to this, then you have not been paying attention. Tsk, tsk tsk."

"He's not you, not even close."

"Well, he doesn't wanna be me. But that doesn't mean deep down that he's not."

"No. He's not anything like you."

"Buffy, help me out here." Damon pleaded.

Buffy sighed. "Look, Elena. The thing is, every vampire craves blood. That's a given. But some vampires crave it more than others. Some vampires can't get enough. So, some of them turn out bad. Real bad. And others change. Like Stefan. But just because Stefan's changed, that doesn't mean that the bloodlust isn't still there. That's what Damon's trying to say."

"Mm-hmm" Damon said.

"So, what do we do?" Elena asked.

"Just give it time. And keep an eye on him." Buffy said.

* * *

Buffy walked into her bedroom and saw Damon lying on her bed. "What are you doing in here?" Buffy asked. "Ugh. Have you been in my underwear drawer?"

Damon smirked and shook his head. "No. I was looking for you."

"Ok. Well, here I am. What do you want?"

Damon stood up and walked over to her, so that he was standing directly in front of her. "Buffy Summers, would you do me the honor of being my date this evening?"

"Your date?"

"Mm-hmm. To the Founder's Day Kick-off party."

"You want me to be your date?"

"Yes."

"Umm... ok. Yeah."

Damon smiled. "Great. I'll let you get ready." He said, as he left the room.

* * *

A few hours later, Buffy walked down the stairs and into the library, where Damon was waiting on her. "Soo..." Buffy started. "How do I look?" Damon turned around and looked at her. He was at a loss for words. She looked... Breathtaking. Buffy was wearing a spaghetti strapped slip dress. The dress was silk and a beautiful emerald color. The same color as her eyes. The dress reached to just below her knees and it clung to each and every one of her curves. She was wearing a pair of gold high-heels, that clasped around her ankles and had emerald green jewels on them. The only jewelry she wore, was a simple gold chain necklace, with a teardrop emerald. Her hair was curled and pinned a top her head, with loose tendrills hanging down. Her makeup was light, save for her crimson lips and gold eye-shadow. Damon had been staring at her for awhile and Buffy was starting to feel self-conscious. "Is this not ok?" She asked. Gesturing to her outfit.

Damon realized that he had been staring and hurried to re-assure her. "You look... Absolutely incredible. I'm going to be the envy of every single man tonight."

If Buffy could have blushed, she would have been bright red by now. "I don't know about that."

Damon smiled a genuine smile and walked towards her, stopping in front of her. **"** I do." He held out his arm. "Shall we?"

Buffy took his arm and nodded. "We shall."

* * *

Damon, Buffy and Stefan walked up to the door of the Founder's Hall. Stefan stopped and sighed. "Oh, God. I shouldn't be here." Stefan groaned.

Damon and Buffy stopped walking and looked at him. "Come on. Don't be a downer. It's a party for the founding families. That would be us. It would be rude to skip it." Damon said. He and Buffy continued walking, with Stefan trailing behind them.

"You know, I... I really liked you a whole lot better when you hated everybody." Stefan said to Damon.

"Oh. I still do. I just love that they love me." Damon chuckled.

"How are you feeling, Stefan?" Buffy asked.

"I'm good. I'm fine."

"No cravings? No urges?" Damon asked. "Has that whiskey you been drinkin' all day doin' it's job?" Stefan chuckled. "We are who we are, Stefan." Damon said. "Pretending doesn't change that."

"Ah. Nothing would make you happier than to just see me give in, huh, Damon?" Stefan asked.

"Whatever. It's inevitable."

"Hmm. I'm gonna go find Elena." Stefan walked off.

"Don't embarrass me, young man." Damon called after him. Damon turned his attention to Buffy. "Come on, Summers. Let's mingle."

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked into the ballroom. They walked over to where Elena was standing and looked out onto the dancefloor, where Stefan was dancing with Kelly Donovan. "Have I entered an alternate universe where Stefan is fun?" Damon asked.

"Is he gonna be ok?" Elena asked.

"Eventually. One way or another."

Elena turned to look at Buffy. "Buffy, wow! You look... Wow!"

Buffy smiled. "Thank you. You look great, Elena."

"Thanks."

Damon spotted Sheriff Forbes and walked over to her, pulling Buffy along with him. "Ah, you know I love a woman in uniform, but I have to side with this look. You look... You look smashing." Damon said to Liz.

"Thank you, Damon." Liz said.

"Liz, you remember my friend, Buffy Summers." Damon motioned to Buffy.

Liz nodded. **"Yes. It's nice to see you again, Buffy."**

"You too, Sheriff."

"Please, call me Liz." Liz said, smiling.

Buffy smiled and nodded. "All right. Liz, it is."

"Thank you. Buffy, you look beautiful."

"Thank you. So do you."

Liz turned her attention to Damon. "You know, I had my doubts about you at first. But like everyone else on the Council, you've won me over."

"Thanks, Liz. It's... It's been really nice how welcoming the Council's been. I like my life here in Mystic Falls. It's starting to feel like home again." Damon said.

"Well, then you're not going to like what I have to tell you." Liz glanced at Buffy and then back at Damon. "Maybe we should talk in private."

"It's ok, Liz. Buffy knows all about the uh..." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Supernatural."

Liz looked at Buffy incredulously. "Really?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah."

Damon nodded to Liz. "Buffy can be trusted, Liz. I promise."

Liz nodded. "Ok. Well, as I was saying. Jonathan Gilbert's claims check out. The blood banks, the missing people, all of it's true. We might have a problem."

Jeremy walked up to them. "Excuse me, Sheriff. Um, I was curious if there's been anymore information on what happened to Vicki Donovan."

"It was an overdose, Jeremy." Liz said.

"Yeah, but her body was buried. Somebody must have done that."

"We're aware of that. The investigation is ongoing, but there's nothing more I can tell you at this time. I'm sorry."

"Uh, that's ok." Jeremy said, as he walked away.

* * *

Damon and Buffy were at the bar, when Elena walked up to them. "Have you noticed what your brother's been up to?" Elena asked Damon.

"Nope. Been too preoccupied with yours. Jeremy's been asking questions about Vicki Donovan's Death." Damon said.

"He knows that her death was ruled an overdose."

"Really? 'Oh, but, Sheriff, someone burried her. Who would do that?' I know. I know. Me. I mean, I could compel him, but he's wearing vervain."

"No. I don't want you to compel him."

"If he keeps asking questions..."

"Damon, no. I'm serious. I'm not gonna do that to him again. I'll handle it."

"Ok. Don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

"Come with me." Damon said, pulling Buffy outside onto the terrace. He picked her up and sat her down on the ledge. He stepped between her legs, cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked.

"Something that I've wanted to do all night." Damon leaned down and captured her lips in a soft kiss. Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back.

"Damon, right?" Someone asked, interrupting them. Causing them to break apart.

Damon turned around and saw Jonathan Gilbert. "John."

"We didn't get a chance to meet at the Council meeting." Jonathan said. He looked over at Buffy and held out his hand. "Jonathan Gilbert."

"Buffy Summers." Buffy said, shaking his hand.

"Are you enjoying the, uh, kick-off?" Damon asked.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot how much fun these small town celebrations can be." Jonathan said.

"Yeah. Yeah. When's the last time you were here?"

"Hasn't been that long. My brother's funeral. How long have you been in town?"

"Well, not long at all."

"What about you, Buffy, how long have you been in town?"

"Not too long. Couple of months." Buffy said.

"So what do you think, Damon? You know this vampire problem is real, right? It's a potential bloodbath."

"I wouldn't overreact, John." Damon said.

"Oh, I think it's like 1864 all over again, vampires running amok. Guess we're just going to have to hunt them down, throw 'em in a church, and burn them to ash."

"That is the story, huh?"

"Part of the story."

"Oh, there's, uh... There's more?"

"Oh, there's a lot more. You see, seems that there was a tomb under the church where the vampires were hidden away, waiting for someone to come along and set them free. But then you already knew that, didn't you? Being that you're the one that did it."

"And you're telling me this why?"

"I just thought we'd get the introductions out of the way."

"Well, you know that I could rip your throat out before anyone would notice. And Buffy, well, she could do it even faster than I could."

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Ok. But you probably ingest vervain, so..."

"Why don't you take a bite, find out?"

"It's not worth our time." Damon helped Buffy down from the ledge and the started to walk away. At the last second, Damon rushed oved and snapped Jonathan's neck and tossed him over the balcony. He then walked back over to where Buffy was standing."

"Subtle." Buffy said, sarcastically.

Damon ignored her comment, took her hand in his and walked back inside.

* * *

"Do you wanna hear the bad news or the really bad news?" Damon asked Stefan, as he and Buffy walked over to him.

"Hmm. Actually I don't want any news, Damon." Stefan said.

Damon rolled his eyes. "All right, let me rephrase. Do you wanna hear how the Council's back in vampire mode or how I just killed Uncle John Gilbert?"

"What?"

"Great party by the way, huh?" Damon said, walking off.

Stefan turned to Buffy. "What's he talking about?"

Buffy sighed. "Jonathan Gilbert came up to us, outside. He basically told us that he knows what actually happened in 1864 and that he knows about the tomb. And how he knows Damon's the one who opened it. Oh, and he also knows that we're vampires."

"What? How?" Stefan asked, stunned.

"Yeah. So, Damon killed him. Snapped his neck and tossed him off the balcony."

"Uh, wow."

"Uh huh. I'm gonna go find Damon." Buffy walked away.

* * *

"There you are." Buffy said, as she walked up to Damon.

Damon turned towards her and grinned. "Miss me already?"

"Something like that." She looked over Damon's shoulder. "No freakin' way." She said.

"What?" Damon asked. He turned and looked to where she was looking. There was Jonathan Gilbert, walking in the door, alive. "You've got to be kidding me."

"This is not good."

* * *

"Thank you all. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you all for joining us tonight. In just a few moments, we will officially begin the countdown to out upcoming Founder's Day Celebration, and it's a very special one this year, the 150th birthday of our town." Mayor Lockwood announced. "And...And I would like to welcome back one of our town's favorite son's to do the honors of ringing our official Charter Bell. John Gilbert, would you please join me up here?"

Jonathan Gilbert walked up to the stage. "150 years of community, prosperity, family. We take care of each other, look after each other, protect each other." He looked at Damon and Buffy. "It's good to be home."

Damon and Buffy walked over to where Alaric was standing. "Look at his right hand." Damon said.

"Whose?" Alaric asked.

"The town's favorite son. Look at his ring."

"Oh. That looks like mine."

"Yeah, and that would be a big coincidence if he didn't just come back from the dead 5 minutes ago. Where the hell did you get that ring?"

"Isobel, my wife."

"Who gave birth to Elena under the medical care of the esteemed DR. Grayson Gilbert. John's brother."

"Oh. You think John knew Isobel?"

"I think John knows a lot of things." Buffy said.

* * *

"Goin' somewhere? Hmm?" Damon asked Jonathan, as he followed him outside. Buffy and Alaric followed behind Damon.

"I never liked to be the last one to leave a party. It's too desperate." Jonathan said. "You gonna kill me again? Or are you going to let Buffy or Mr. Saltzman do your dirty work?"

"Ok, you obviously know who I am." Alaric said.

"I do. Alaric Saltzman, the high school history teacher with a secret."

"You sure know a lot for someone who just got to town." Damon said.

"More than you can imagine, Damon. My knowledge of this town goes beyond anything that you or you or you or the Council knows. So, if you were planning on some clever high-speed, snatch ring, vamp kill move, know that if I die everything I know goes to the Council, including the fascinating little tale of the original Salvatore brothers. And their present-day return to Mystic Falls."

"How'd you get that ring?" Alaric asked.

"I inherited one, my brother Gray, the other. This was his. And I wouldn't have given mine to Isobel had I known she'd hand it over to another guy."

"So you did know her?" Buffy asked.

"Who do you think sent her Damon's way when she wanted to become a vampire?"

"You sent her?" Damon asked.

"Guilty. Why, did you think someone else sent her? Maybe Katherine Pierce?"

"How do you know about Katherine?"

"How do I know anything, Damon?"

"What do you want?" Buffy asked.

"So many questions. It was a pleasure meeting you, Ric. You too, Buffy. I've heard so much about you both." And with that, Jonathan turned and walked away.

* * *

Buffy and Damon were sitting in the library, drinking, when Stefan walked in. "We have a problem, Stefan." Damon said.

"And when he says 'problem', he means global crisis." Buffy said.

"Seems Uncle John has a..." Damon started. He looked at Stefan and stopped. "You don't look so good."

"Stefan... Stefan are you ok?" Buffy asked.

"It's different this time, isn't it?" Damon asked. "The need is too strong. Of course it would be after all these years." Damon sat his glass of blood down on the side table and stood up. He held out his hand to Buffy and waited until she took it. "Have a good night, brother." Damon said, as he and Buffy walked out of the room.

* * *

Damon pulled Buffy into his room and shut the door. "Damon, what are we going to do about Stefan?"

"I don't know."

"But..." Buffy started, but was cut off as Damon started kissing her.

"Shh..." He said, in between kisses. He pulled back and looked down at her. "We'll figure something out. Later. Tonight... Well, tonight it's just you and me." He started kissing her again. He moved away from her lips and down her neck. As he kissed her shoulder, he pulled the straps of her dress down. He moved back up her neck and slid one hand up her back. He slowly unzipped her dress and pushed it down, so that it pooled at her feet. He reached up and took out the clip holding her hair, letting her hair fall down her back. He stood back and looked at her. Wearing nothing but a strapless black lace bra and matching thong. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "You are without a doubt, the most beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, and sexiest woman, that I have ever laid my eyes on."

"Damon..."

"Shh... No thinking. Not tonight." Damon backed her up to the edge of the bed, he used his vamp speed to flip her on top of him on the bed. Then he rolled them so that he was on top. He leaned down and kissed her.


	14. The Addict

_***Buffy's dream***_

Buffy woke up, and the first thing she saw were his eyes. He smiled when he realized that she was awake. "Good morning, my love." He said.

Buffy returned his smile. "Mmm. Good morning."

"Sleep well?"

"Yes. You?"

"I always sleep well with you in my bed." He leaned down and kissed her lips, ever so gently. When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes and smiled. "Do you have any idea of how beautiful you are?"

Buffy smiled bashfully. "You are biased."

He chuckled. "Maybe. But I've seen how other men look at you. I saw it the very first night we met. They flock to you, my dear. You are a goddess among peasants."

Buffy smiled and couldn't help but laugh. "You are always so charming."

 _ ***End Dream.***_

* * *

Buffy opened her eyes and came face to face with a very awake Damon. "Good morning." He said.

"Morning." Buffy sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest.

"You were amazing last night."

"Damon..." Buffy sighed.

"No. Don't say it."

"Don't say what?"

"Don't say that last night was a mistake."

"I wasn't going to. I don't believe in mistakes. I believe that every choice and action that we make in life has a reason. They shape us into the people that we are."

"Ok. Good." Damon said, smiling.

"I was going to say that I don't know if last night will happen again. Ever."

Damon frowned. "Why? Last night was amazing!"

Buffy nodded. "I know that. But... I'm not ready to be with anyone."

"Buffy... we don't have to lable it. We can just... have fun."

Buffy laughed bitterly. "Just fun. I don't want to use you, Damon."

"You can use me anytime you want." Damon smirked.

Buffy sighed. "Damon. Is that what last night was about? You using me to forget about Katherine?"

"No. I'm over Katherine."

"You've been in love with her for 145 years. You don't just get over something like that in a few days."

"I do."

"I'm sorry." Buffy got out of bed, slipped her dress back on, grabbed her shoes and walked out of the room.

* * *

Later that day, Buffy walked into the library and found Damon. "Can we talk?"

"Sure. Talk away."

"It's about Stefan."

"What about him?"

"He's losing it, Damon. I know that he says he's fine, but... you saw him last night."

"Yeah."

"What are we going to do?"

"We'll talk to him."

"When?"

"When he gets home from school."

* * *

"How was school?" Damon asked, as Stefan walked into the house.

"Fine." Stefan replied.

"Yeah? Same old, same old?" Buffy asked. "Nothing new? No stories to bring home?"

Stefan turned to look at them. "You're making small talk, why?"

"You seem awfully chipper lately. Less doom and gloom, a little more pep in your step." Damon said.

"And you guys think it's because I drank human blood again." Stefan said.

"I mean, I don't want to brag, but I would definitely take responsibility for this new and improved you."

"Right, right. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm clean."

"Right." Buffy said, sarcastically.

"Yeah, not possible." Damon said.

"Not only is it possible, but it is quite true." Stefan said.

"Stefan, let's be serious for a second." Damon said. "You spent the last century and a half being a poster child for prozac, and now you expect us to believe that this new you has nothing to do with human blood, nothing."

Stefan shrugged. "I'm clean." He turned to walk away.

"You're lying!" Buffy cried.

Stefan turned back around to face them. "Believe what you want." And with that he walked out of the room.

Damon turned to look at Buffy. "He's definitely lying."

Buffy nodded her head in agreement. "Oh, yeah."

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Keep an eye on him. Catch him in the act."

* * *

"Well, well. He's a liar and a thief." Buffy said, as her and Damon walked into the basement. Stefan was standing over a freezer filled with blood bags.

"So... When were you going to share?" Damon asked.

"Go ahead." Stefan said, motioning towards the freezer. "Help yourselves."

"No, no, I'm talking about the fact that you're a closet blood junkie."

"So I'm drinking blood again. You're the one that shoved it on me. What's your problem? I have it under control."

"Under control?" Buffy asked. "You robbed the hospital."

"So what's your point?" Stefan asked, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Fine. Whatever man, drink up." Damon said. "Just remember we're trying to keep a low profile. Why don't you just walk up to Sheriff Forbes, ask her to tap a vein."

"Have my actions negatively impacted you? Ooh. I can't imagine what that must feel like."

"Yeah, well, it's not just us anymore. Remember?" Damon motioned to Buffy.

"What's Elena think about the new... You?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing's changed. I'm still the same person." Stefan said.

"Clearly." Buffy said, rolling her eyes.

"Elena doesn't need to know anything yet."

Damon sighed. "You've been off the human stuff for years, Stefan. If you're having trouble controlling..."

"I'm not having any trouble."

"Who do you think you're talking to? I know what it's like. That Jekyll and Hyde feeling. There's that switch, sometimes it goes off and you snap. Hell, I bet even Buffy knows the feeling." Buffy remained silent. Damon continued. "Right now is not a good time for us to be worried about you snapping."

"I know that it pains you both to see this."

"Hmm." Buffy said, rolling her eyes.

"But I'm fine, ok? I'm fine. So please, do me a favor. And back off. Both of you." Stefan took a blood bag out of the freezer, shut the lid and walked away.

* * *

The door bell rang and Buffy went to answer it. Opening the door, she was confused to see John Gilbert on the other side. "John. What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Damon."

"Hey, partner." Damon said, coming up behind Buffy. "What do you want?"

John walked into the house. "You haven't returned any of my calls."

"Most people take that as a hint." Buffy replied.

"Where do we start looking for vampires?"

"Why the act, John? I mean, you obviously don't care about catching vampires. You're here talking to us." Damon said.

"Actually, I care very much."

"What did Isobel say about that? I mean, considering that she is one."

"Isobel and I share a mutual interest."

"Hmm."

"The original Jonathan Gilbert had an invention that was stolen by a vampire. That vampire was then burned alive in Fell's church, or so Jonathan thought. And the invention was lost forever."

"Hmm."

"But then the vampires weren't killed, were they? They were trapped. And now they're free, thanks to you, which means the invention is retrievable."

"Well, what is it?"

"The only thing that matters is that I want it back, and you two are going to help me if you want your secret safe."

"I mean, why bring us into it, John? I mean, we don't even know what you're talking about, much less who has it."

"Oh, come on, Damon. You were around back then. You know who these people are, what they look like. He was friendly with a woman who turned out to be a vampire. Her name was Pearl. Does that ring a bell?"

"I'm not playing anymore."

"You heard him. Get out." Buffy said.

"Get out." Damon said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know, I only entertained this whole blackmail scheme thing of yours because I thought that you and Isobel could lead me to Katherine. But see, now I know that you have no idea where Katherine is, because if you did, you would know that Katherine and Pearl were best friends. See, you don't know everything, do you, John?"

"I'll tell the entire Council what you are."

"Go for it. I'll kill every last one of them. Then I'll sever your hand, pull your ring off, and I'll kill you, too. Do you understand that?"

"I'll help with that part." Buffy said.

* * *

Later that day, at the Miss. Mystic Falls beauty pageant, Buffy and Damon walked upstairs to talk to Elena. "Hey." Elena said, as they walked into the room she was in. "You can't be back here." She told Damon.

"We need to talk." Damon said.

"Does it have to be right now?"

"It kind of does." Buffy said.

"Normally I would have a completely different outlook on what we're about to tell you, but since it could really inconvenience us, I'll squeal." Damon said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Stefan's still drinking human blood." Buffy said.

"What?"

"Yeah."

"A month ago, I would have rejoiced. But with the Council on the alert, it's not a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle." Damon said.

"I know he's been a little edgy, but he said that was normal."

"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house." Buffy said.

"Oh, my God."

"He has no idea what normal is."

"His entire existence isn't normal." Damon said. "Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood. But he spent all this time fighting it, when he should have been learning how to control it. And now it's controlling him instead."

"I can't believe this. I mean, it's Stefan that we're talking about here."

"Stefan on human blood, Elena. He'll do anything, he'll say anything, because he's not gonna want to stop. Trust me."

"Damon's right." Buffy said, nodding. "I mean, he lied to our faces today. He's an addict."

"This is all my fault. I'm the one who fed him the blood in the first place."

Just then the door opened and Stefan walked into the room. "Uh... What's going on in here?"

"Just filling Elena in on your extracurricular activities." Buffy said.

Stefan scoffed and shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"I know about the blood, Stefan." Elena said.

"We're gonna... We'll be downstairs." Buffy said, pulling Damon to the door.

"Yeah. Drinking." Damon said, as they closed the door behind them.

Stefan chuckled and turned to face Elena. "I was gonna tell you."

"When?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. The blood, it doesn't change anything."

"It's changing you."

"Why, because I kept it a secret from you? Come on, Elena. Look, given the way that you're reacting right now, can you really blame me for doing that?"

"Are you hearing yourself right now? You've been stealing blood and lying and you say that everything's fine? Everything's not fine, Stefan."

"So what, so you, Damon and Buffy all of a sudden have everything figured out then?"

"It's not about Damon or Buffy. It's about what's happening to you."

"I know, and I'm telling you that I'm fine. I'm fine. Please, come on, Elena, I thought you... I thought you believed in me."

* * *

Downstairs the escorts were all lining up. Buffy looked around but she couldn't find Stefan. "Damn it!"

Damon looked at her confused. "What's wrong?"

"I don't see Stefan anywhere. They're about to start calling the girls and he's not here."

"Ms. Elena Gilbert, escorted by Mr. Stefan Salvatore." Mayor Lockwood called.

"Oh, God. She's going to be so embarrassed. Damon, go up there." Buffy said.

"What? Why?"

"So that Elena won't be humiliated. Please, Damon. Go stand in for Stefan. Please."

Damon walked over to the bottom of the stairs, as Elena walked down. "Where's Stefan?" She asked him.

"I don't know." He took her hand and led her outside to the dancefloor.

Buffy walked out behind them and walked over to Jenna and Alaric. "Hey guys."

"Hey, Buffy." Alaric said.

"What's she doing with Damon?" Jenna asked.

"Stefan disappeared. I didn't want her to have to be humiliated. So, Damon stepped in." Buffy explained.

"Well, that's... unusually nice of him." Alaric said.

"Yeah. I know." Buffy said.

* * *

After they announced the winner, Elena walked up to Buffy and Damon. "What is it, did you find him?"

"There were signs of a struggle in the upstairs bathroom. There was blood. And that Amber girl is missing." Damon said.

"Oh, my God. He wouldn't hurt her. He won't."

"Let's just find him, ok?" Buffy said. "Let's get your coat, come on."

They walked outside and Buffy stopped. Damon turned to look at her. "Buffy? What is it? What's wrong?"

"You don't smell that?" Buffy asked.

"Smell what?" Elena asked.

Damon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His eyes snapped open. "Blood. Human blood." He said. Buffy nodded her head. Just then, they heard screaming. They ran towards the screams and saw Stefan feeding off of a girl.

"Stefan!" Elena screamed. Stefan let go of the girl and she fell to the ground.

"Stefan. Come on. Get control of it. Come on." Damon said. "It's ok. Come on. Breathe through it, man." Damon slowly approached Stefan. As he reached out to grab onto him, Stefan attacked and tossed Damon into a tree.

"Stefan, stop it!" Elena cried.

Buffy raced over to him. "Stefan, come on. We're trying to help you."

Stefan ignored her and was about to attack, when suddenly he grabbed his head and started screaming in pain. They all looked over to where Bonnie was standing, no one had even seen her approach. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, Stefan's screams stopped. He looked around in confusion.

"It's ok." Damon said, holding his hands up in front of him.

"Stefan." Buffy said.

Stefan backed up, slowly, and then he turned and ran away.

* * *

"She doesn't remember what happened." Sheriff Forbes said.

"It's a good thing the girls got here when they did. She lost a lot of blood." Damon said, gesturing to Elena and Bonnie.

"You didn't see anything?" Sheriff Forbes asked them.

"No. We just found her and then called Damon." Elena said.

"Is she gonna be ok?" Bonnie asked.

"Looks like it, yeah." Sheriff Forbes said. "Why don't you girls get back to the party. Damon, Buffy and I can take it from here."

"Yeah." Damon agreed.

"Ok." Elena said.

"They didn't see the bite mark?" Asked the Sheriff, once Elena and Bonnie had walked away.

"No, me and Buffy got here before they got too close. There was too much blood, they couldn't see it clearly."

"Well, thank God for that." The Sheriff said.

* * *

Damon and Buffy walked upstairs to Stefan's room. Stefan was on the floor with a vervain dart in his back. Elena was standing over him. "Sure you want to do this?" Damon asked Elena.

"I'm sure." Elena said, nodding.

"Ok then. Let's get him downstairs to the basement." Buffy said.

Damon picked Stefan up and they all walked downstairs. Once in the basement, Damon placed Stefan in the cell and locked the door. He turned to Elena. "There's no guarantee this is going to work."

"It has to."

Buffy and Damon nodded and turned to go back upstairs. Buffy paused when Elena didn't follow. "You comin'?"

Elena shook her head. "I'm gonna stay here." She sat down on the floor.

Buffy sighed and sat down across from her. Damon walked over and sat down beside of Buffy.

* * *

 _ ***Flashback.***_

Buffy looked up at him, her mouth covered in blood. He walked over to her and looked down into her eyes. "How was it?"

"I killed him." Buffy said.

He nodded and glanced down at the body by his feet. "Yes. Your first kill. How do you feel?"

"I'm still hungy."

He chuckled. "You're newly turned. That's normal. We'll find you someone else to eat. Hmm?"

"Do we always have to kill people?"

"No. Not always. We can take just enough and then compel them to forget. I'll teach you all of that. Ok?"

Buffy looked up at him and nodded. "Ok."

 _ ***End Flashback.***_


	15. Faith

"Stefan. Stefan." Damon said, as he, Buffy and Elena walked into the cell the next day.

"Stefan." Elena said. Stefan looked at her. "I love you, Stefan."

Stefan just continued to look at her.

"Come on, Elena." Buffy said, pulling the other girl out of the cell.

They walked out and shut the door. Elena looked at Stefan through the small, barred window. "It's so hard to see him locked up like this."

"You're the one who locked him up." Damon said.

"You helped."

"I couldn't have him running around chewing on people while the town was looking for vampires, now, could I?"

"It had nothing to do with you actually caring about him?" Buffy asked.

"Your thing, not mine." He said.

"He's your brother, Damon. You don't know how lucky you are to still have him. Here, with you."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience." Buffy simply shrugged and looked away. "Care to share?"

Buffy sighed, still looking away, she said "I had a sister, once."

"You did?" Elena asked.

"Mm-hmm."

"What was she like?" Elena asked, urging her to continue.

"The complete opposite of me. She had long dark brown hair, kind of like yours, Elena. Big doe brown eyes. She was fearless. We were always trying to outdo one another in... Everything. But no matter what, she was always there for me. I loved her so very much."

"What was her name?" Damon asked.

"Faith."

"So, what happened to her?" Elena asked.

"She died. During childbirth. One year before I was turned."

"Oh, Buffy. I'm so sorry." Elena said.

Buffy nodded. "It was a long time ago."

* * *

 _ ***Flashback.***_

"What are you?" Faith asked, backing away.

"Faith. It's me. It's ok. Don't be afraid. Faith, we can be together. Forever. Just, let me make you like me. It doesn't hurt." Buffy said.

"No! Get away from me! You're not my sister! You're not Buffy!"

"Faith... It's me. I promise you."

"No! You're a demon! You've come up from Hell and you're trying to corrupt me."

"What? No! I'm not a demon. Faithy, it's me. Your sister."

"No. No! Buffy was good. She was my sister. You! You are a monster!"

"Faithy... Please..." Buffy pleaded, walking towards her.

"Get away from me! Get out! Get out of this house!"

Suddenly, he appeared in front of Faith. He looked into her eyes. "You will forget that we were ever here."

Faith nodded. "You were never here."

"You're sister is dead."

"My sister is dead."

"Buffy is dead."

"Buffy is dead."

He nodded and walked over to Buffy. He pulled her outside. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. "Why did you do that?"

"It had to be done, love. She would have told the town about you. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

"But... She's my sister."

"I know."

"She called me a demon. A monster. Is that true? Is that what I have become?"

"No. You are pure and you are good."

"I love her."

"I know. But you're going to have to let her go."

 _ ***End Flashback.***_

* * *

Later that day, Damon was in the library, looking at Jonathan Gilbert's device that Pearl had given him. Buffy walked up behind him. "Did you ever figure out what that is?"

"Nope. Whatever it is, it doesn't work."

"Pearl didn't say anything else about it?"

"She thought she was stealing his vampire compass, but it was a pocket watch."

"Huh."

"That Jonathan Gilbert was a crazy scientist."

"So, it could be anything. Great."

"Why didn't you tell me you had a sister?"

"I don't know. It just, never came up."

"So, while we're on the subject of you. I want to know more."

"Like what?"

"Like... How old were you when you were turned?"

"20."

"Were you married? Any kids?"

"Nope. It was rather... Odd back then. To be so old and without a husband."

"So, why weren't you?"

"I was, almost. He was a baron."

"So, what happened?"

"He was old. And fat. He disgusted me. I told my father that I would rather die, than marry him. My father became angry. 'You will marry him! It is your duty as a woman!' he told me."

"What happened?"

"Faith. She somehow convinced him to choose her instead."

"Wow."

"Yeah." Just then, Elena walked in. "Elena, have you spoken to your Uncle lately?"

"I've been avoiding him, actually." Elena said. "That, and I've been here most nights."

"So you'll be here again tonight?" Damon asked.

"Is that a problem?"

"Yes. You're a complete nuisance."

Elena chuckled and grabbed her bag. "I'll see you guys later."

Once Elena was gone, Buffy turned to Damon, grinning. "What?" Damon asked.

"You like her."

"Oh, come on. I do not."

"Ooh. You like her a lot."

"She's my brother's girlfriend."

"Oh, I don't mean you like her like that. She's like a little sister. You care for her. Just admit it."

"I will not admit anything. Because it isn't true."

"Whatever you say."

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked downstairs and up to Stefan's cell. "Brought you something to eat... 100% Stefan diet approved." Damon said, holding up a bottle of blood. Stefan didn't look up. He continued to stare at the floor. "You know what will happen if you don't eat. You'll get all rotting and crusty."

"I'm not hungry." Stefan said quietly, still staring at the floor.

Damon scoffed. "Of course you are. We're eternally hungry. Take it." He sat the bottle in the window. "The human blood should be gone by now. You want to explain why you're still in here feeling sorry for yourself?" Nothing. Stefan said nothing. "Come on. Drink up." Damon tossed the bottle into the cell. It landed in front of Stefan. Stefan looked up and stared at the bottle. Then, he looked back down. "Fine. Starve. What do I care?" Damon walked back upstairs.

Buffy continued to watch Stefan. "Stefan. Come on. You need to eat. Please." He didn't look up, didn't move a muscle. Buffy sighed and left the room.

* * *

Once upstairs, Damon's phone started ringing. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Alaric Saltzman."

Damon looked at Buffy and put the phone on speaker. "Before I hang up, how did you get this number?"

"Ah, it's a mystery. Listen, I've, uh, been doing some digging on Elena's Uncle. You interested?"

"What kind of digging?"

"I've got an old friend from Duke who studied criminology when we were there together. Let's just say he's become a very proficient digger."

"Did he find anything?"

"Well, I had him run a track on John's cell records. He was getting a call from a number... The same number that Elena dialed to get Isobel. And then the number was disconnected."

"Isobel knows John. Whatever. We knew that."

"Right. Well, after that, he started getting calls from a new number. And I had my friend run a Geotrack. Got the address. It's... It's an apartment in Grove Hill."

"Isobel's in Grove Hill?"

"I don't know. I thought we could take a look and see what we find."

"Perfect. Give me the address."

"Oh, so you and Buffy can go without me? No. I don't think so."

"I'm not going with you. You tried to kill me."

"Yeah, well, you did kill me."

Damon's phone beeps, as another call comes through. "Hold on." He switches lines. "What?"

"I'm just grabbing some clothes and then I'll be right over. How's Stefan?" Elena asked.

"Extra broody. Hold on." He swtches the line back to Alaric. "You drive. Pick me and Buffy up in an hour."

"Done." Alaric said, hanging up.

"He won't eat anything." Damon said to Elena.

"He has to eat. What's his favorite... Kind of, umm..."

"His favorite kind of what?"

"Type of animal blood that he prefers?"

"Eww. Gross."

"Heh. Your joking doesn't help."

"Helps me. Now, hurry up. We can't baby-sit all night. Buffy and I have things to do."

"I would say 'Drop Dead', but..."

"Ha. Ha. Stefan likes... Puppy blood. Little Golden Retriever puppies with cute, fluffy ears. That's his favorite."

Elena scoffs and hangs up.

Buffy looks at Damon and shakes her head. "You're awful."

* * *

Later that night, Buffy, Damon and Elena were in the library. "You know, he's just being dramatic." Damon said to Elena. "He's not gonna starve himself."

"Why would he say that?" Elena asked.

"Because he feels bad about hurting that girl." Buffy said.

"It's very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass." Damon said.

"Will it? Because he seemed to be in a lot of pain." Elena said.

"Yeah. Well, that will pass, too, once he eats."

"I didn't mean physical pain."

"I know what you meant."

"Are you gonna be ok here if me and Damon run out? We have to go to an errand with Alaric." Buffy said.

"Alaric? Are you guys friends now?" Elena asked.

"I don't have any friends, Elena. Well, except for Buffy." Damon pointed out.

"Right." Elena said.

"You should, um, you should stay up here. You shouldn't be down there by yourself."

"I'll be fine."

"You know... You're very trusting of him, given the circumstances."

"So are you. Otherwise, you two wouldn't be leaving."

"We won't be long." Buffy told her.

* * *

"This is the one here." Alaric said, as they walked up to the apartment. "The records show this was paid 3 months in advance."

"This is where it gets tricky. Buffy and I may or may not be able to get in." Damon said, as he knocked on the door.

"Yeah, how does that work? You guys always have to be invited in?"

"By the owner or person of entitlement. Short-term rentals and hotels are a bit of a gray area. You kind of gotta play it by ear." Buffy said.

"Heh. Could we not kill anyone tonight, please?" Alaric asked.

Damon looked up from where he was checking the lock on the front door. "You mean, you just brought me along for my company?" He broke the lock and the door swung open.

Alaric walked in. "It doesn't look like anyone's home."

Damon slowly put his leg over the threshold. When there was no barrier, he walked inside. "Yeah. We're good." Buffy walked in after him.

"No permanent resident, apparently." Buffy said.

Damon walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. There were blood bags in it. "Uh, guys, we have company."

A vampire rushed Alaric, Alaric punched him and Buffy pulled the vamp away and tossed him onto the floor. "Boys, boys, that's enough."

"I know you." Damon said.

"Damon?" The vamp asked, standing up.

"Your name's Henry. You were in the tomb.?"

"Yes sir. What are you doing here?"

"Uh, John sent us."

"How do you know John Gilbert?"

"Well I've known him for years. He's a good friend. How do you know him?"

"I met him right after I got out of the tomb. He's been helping me out."

"Helping you out how?" Alaric asked.

"Adapting. It's a whole new world... Cars, computers. There's so much to learn. He helped me get this place."

"So, do you live here alone, or is there someone else here?" Alaric asked.

"That's my friend's very... Passive-Aggressive way of asking, uh, do you know a woman named Isobel?" Damon asked.

"Uh, no. No, I don't know an Isobel. I know John. He's my only real friend. He really showed me the ropes... How to use a microwave, seperate my whites."

"What else do you do for him?" Buffy asked.

"I help keep an eye on things... You know, with the others."

"The others?" Damon asked.

"From the tomb. They're still pissed at the founding families for tyring to burn them alive. I'm cool, but those tomb boys, they want revenge."

"What does John want with them?" Buffy asked.

"He's just keeping an eye on them, you know? Trying to make sure they stay out of trouble."

"Well, that's John. Heh. He's such a Do-Gooder." Damon said.

Henry's phone started ringing. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. "Heh. That's John now."

"Oh. Hey, let me talk to him." Damon said.

"All right. Yeah." Henry handed the phone to Damon. Damon held the phone as it continued to ring. "Are you gonna answer that?"

"Am I gonna... Answer that?" Damon asked Buffy. She shook her head 'no'.

Henry looks between the three of them. "What's going on?" He turns and vamp's out, rushing at Alaric. Buffy grabbed him and Alaric staked him.

"Let's not kill anyone tonight." Damon mimicked Alaric. "You're words. Just pointing that out." Alaric walked around the apartment. "Find anything yet?" Damon asked.

"No, I looked everywhere. This place... The place is clean."

"Well, I found this behind the blood in the fridge." He threw Alaric a beer.

"Ah, man, this was a real dead-end."

"I wouldn't beat myself up over it, man. What did you think you were gonna find, huh? Isobel with a cigar and slippers?"

Alaric laughed. "Oh, man. I..." He sighed and dragged his hand down his face. "I gotta stop this. I can't... I can't keep searching for her."

"Really? After only 2 years? That's actually..."

"Moderately healthy." Buffy said.

Alaric chuckled. "What are you going on? 146?"

"Well, I figure the 200 mark is probably a good stopping point." Damon said.

"Ahh. I mean, no answer is enough. I keep thinking I wanna know why, when, you know, the precise moment when my wife decided life with me wasn't enough."

"She charmed me, your wife Isobel. She talked a good game, man. She was smart. She had this excitement in her eyes. I probably should have know there was something different about her, some tie to Katherine. There had to be some reason I didn't kill her."

"That's enough, Damon. I don't wanna hear anymore. I just don't want to waste anymore of my life searching for answers that I really don't want. I'm through with Isobel. I... I'm done with all of this. Yeah." Alaric stood up and walked out of the apartment.

* * *

"Ugh. God. You're still here?" Damon asked, as he and Buffy walked into the library, where Elena was.

"Were you expecting anything else?" Elena asked.

"No."

"So, how was the 'errand'?"

"Futile. Although, I think we witnessed the teacher having an existential crisis."

"Has Stefan eaten yet?" Buffy asked.

"I think he's getting there. But he's got a lot of guilt that he has to deal with. And it doesn't help that you spent the last 145 years punishing him for Katherine getting caught." She looked at Damon.

"This is my fault now?" Damon asked.

"No, it's no one's fault, Damon. I'm just... Saying you're not exactly innocent. You've made it your life's mission to make him miserable."

"Let me ask you a question. In all this important soul-searching and cleansing of the demons of Stefan's past, did you ever manage to get the rest of the story?"

"He said there was more."

"Yeah. That's an understatement."

"Damon...Damon. Tell me."

"From the moment Stefan had his first taste of human blood, he was a different person. I suppose I should thank him. It's been a hell of a ride. Heh."

"Oh, my God. He said he wanted to die. That's why he won't feed. Now I understand why, but..."

"His choice. If he's stupid enough to make it, so be it."

"Don't do that, Damon. Ok? Don't pretend like you don't care." Buffy said.

* * *

Elena and Stefan walked into the library, where Buffy and Damon were still sitting. "Little boy lost." Damon said.

"I'll be upstairs. Ok?" Elena said to Stefan.

"Ok."

"Goodnight, Damon, Buffy." Elena said, as she walked out of the room.

"Thank you." Stefan said to Damon.

"No, Stefan, thank you. You're back on Bambi blood, and I'm the big badass brother again. All is right in the world." Damon said.

"I mean it. Thank you. For... Helping Elena take care of me."

"You brood too much. Everything on this planet is not your fault. My actions, what I do, it's not your fault. I own them. They belong to me. You are not allowed to feel my guilt."

"Do you feel guilt?"

"If I wanted to, it's there." Stefan nodded and stood up. "You know, Emily waited till after I turned to tell me she'd been successful in protecting Katherine with her spell. She didn't want me to know about the tomb. She thought it would impact my decision."

"She didn't want either one of us to turn. She said it was a curse."

"Witches... Judgy little things."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Cause I didn't want you to know. 'Cause I hated you, and I still do."

"I know."

"But not because you forced me to turn."

"Then why?"

"Because she turned you. It was just supposed to be me, Stefan... Just me."

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

"Hurry up, B. Mama doesn't like it when we're late." Faith called.

Buffy laughed and ran up to her. "Why do you insist on calling me that?"

"You're hair is golden, like honey. Bees make honey. That is why."

"Fine. I'll race you home." Buffy said, grinning.

"I'll win." Faith grinned back.

"I doubt that."

"One. Two. Three. Go!"

 _ ***End Flashback***_


	16. No Humanity

_***Buffy's Dream***_

Buffy walks through the forest, her long white night dress dragging the ground, the fallen leaves crunching beneath her bare feet. "Hello, Love." Buffy looks behind her and there he stands. "What took you so long?" He asks.

"This... this is the same forest... Where you..." Buffy trails off, looking around her.

"Where I turned you?" He finishes. Buffy turns her attention back to him and nods her head. "Yes."

"Why are we here?"

"This is where we began. It is only fitting that we should end up here again. Don't you agree?"

"I guess."

"Why did you lie about Faith?"

"How do you know about that?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He shakes his head, walking closer to her, until he stood mere inches away. "I told you. I always know. No matter where you are or what you're doing, I always know. You are mine, Buffy. You have always been mine."

"I didn't want their pitty. Faith... She feared me. She called me a demon. A monster. That night, there was so much fear in her eyes. And also hate. I had never seen her look at me like that."

"She was afraid of something she did not understand. It wasn't your fault."

"I know that." She said, nodding.

"You were never afraid. Not even for a moment."

"No."

"I miss you, Buffy."

"I..." Buffy paused, looking around. "Do you hear that?"

"Here what, love?" He asked, looking around as well.

"I could have sworn that I heard someone calling my name."

"Buffy! Buffy!" A voice called.

"There it is again! Do you hear it?"

"It's time to wake up, love." He said, smiling.

 _ ***End Dream***_

* * *

"Buffy! Buffy! Wake up!" Damon yelled.

Buffy's eyes snapped open. She saw Damon sitting on her bed. "Damon?"

"I've been trying to wake you up for the past 3 minutes."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Alaric called. He wants us to meet him at the high school."

"Why?"

"He didn't say. So, get dressed."

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked into Alaric's classroom and saw that Alaric, Stefan and Elena were already there. "Damon, Buffy. Thanks for coming." Alaric said.

"Sorry we're late. The dog ate my, uh... Never mind. Truth is, Buffy here was extreamly hard to wake up." Damon said.

Everyone looked at them with serious expressions. "What's with all the furrowed brows?" Buffy asked.

"I saw Isobel last night." Alaric said.

"Isobel's here?" Damon asked. Alaric nodded his head.

"In town?" Buffy asked. Again, Alaric nodded his head.

"Did you ask her about Uncle John? Are they working together?" Damon asked.

"No." Alaric said.

"No, they're not?" Buffy asked Alaric.

"No, I didn't ask." Alaric answered.

"What about the invention?" Damon asked.

"Didn't ask." Alaric replied.

"Does she know about the tomb of vampires?" Damon asked.

"I don't know."

"Did words completely escape you?" Damon asked.

"No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions."

"What did she want?" Buffy asked.

"She wants to see me." Elena said.

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting. We don't know why or what she wants." Stefan said.

"You don't have to see her if you don't want to." Damon said to Elena.

"I don't really have a choice." Elena said.

"She's threatened to go on a killing spree." Alaric explained.

"Oh." Buffy said.

"I take it that's... Not ok with you guys." Damon said.

"I want to do it." Elena said. "I want to meet her. If I don't, I know I'll regret it."

"Are you sure, Elena?" Buffy asked.

"Yea." Elena said.

"Ok. Well, you're definitely not meeting her alone." Buffy said.

"Buffy's right." Damon agreed.

"I have to. If I don't, she's going to start killing people." Elena said.

"So?" Damon replied.

"Damon." Stefan warned.

"Look, Elena. Who's to say that she's not going to try and kill you? Hmm? You go alone and you're helpless. Damon, Alaric and I will wait outside. If she tries anything... I'll kill her before she even blinks." Buffy said.

"No one's killing her." Alaric said.

"I'll kill her. If she attempts to harm Elena or anyone else. I will kill her." Buffy said to Alaric.

"What about me? Where do you want me?" Stefan asked.

"You're going to be inside. Close enough to hear everything, but not close enough for her to notice you." Buffy said.

* * *

"We should be in there." Damon said, as he, Buffy and Alaric stood across the street from the Grill.

"No. Isobel made it clear we're not to step foot inside." Alaric said.

"I'm not gonna kill her in a crowded restaurant."

"You're not gonna kill her, period."

"She ruined your life, and you still want to protect her?"

"She's my wife." Both Buffy and Damon shoot a look at Alaric. "Was... Was my wife. I looked for the woman I married, but she wasn't there. Whoever that is is... cold and detached."

Damon scoffed. "Yeah. She's given up her humanity."

"Yeah, see, I don't get that. Stefan has his humanity. He's a good guy. Buffy has hers. She's a good person."

"Thank you." Buffy said.

"Welcome." Alaric turned his attention back to Damon. "Hell, you're a dick and you kill people, but I still see something human in you. But with her, there was... There was nothing."

"You can turn it off... Like a button you can press. I mean, Stefan's different. He... He wants the whole human experience. He wants to feel every episode of 'How I Met Your Mother', So he shuts his feelings out. The problem is, as a vampire, your instinct is not to feel. Isobel chose the easier road... No guilt and shame... No regret. I mean, come on. If you could turn it off, wouldn't you?"

"You haven't." Alaric said. "Buffy hasn't."

"Heh. Of course I have, Ric. That's why I'm so fun to be around." Damon said.

"I have. Once. A long, long time ago." Buffy said.

"What?" Alaric asked, shocked.

"Come on. You? Really?" Damon asked.

Buffy nodded. "Yup."

"Why?" Alaric asked.

"I didn't want to feel. Anything." Buffy said.

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

"She's dead. My sister is dead. Faith is dead." Buffy cried.

"Oh. Oh, love. Come here." He held out his arms and she ran into them. "What happened?"

"She was having her baby. There were... Complications. She didn't make it." Buffy sobbed.

"I'm so very sorry. Did the child survive?"

Buffy nodded. "Yes."

"Was it a boy or girl?"

"A girl. They named her Anne. My middle name." Buffy started to cry harder.

"Shh... Shh... It's going to be all right, love." He soothed.

"How? How will anything be all right? How can it? I wanted to turn her. I wanted her with me. Always. She was my sister. My very best friend. And now... Now she's gone. I wish..."

"What? What do you wish?"

"I wish that I could not feel anything. It hurts so much. I do not wish to feel anymore."

"Turn it off, love."

"Turn what off?"

"Your humanity. All you have to do is turn it off. Then it will not hurt anymore."

"How?"

"Just close your eyes." Buffy closed her eyes. "Now, simply turn it off." Buffy keeps her eyes closed for a few moments. When she opens them, she's no longer crying. "Better?" He asks.

Buffy grins up at him. "Better."

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

The next day, Stefan called Buffy and told her to meet him at the school. Buffy walked into Alaric's classroom and saw Stefan, Elena and Bonnie. "All right. I'm here and I didn't say anything to Damon. So, what's going on?" Buffy asked.

"Isobel took Jeremy." Stefan said.

"What?"

"She wants Jonathan Gilbert's invention. She's going to kill Jeremy if we don't give it to her." Elena explained.

"Not if I kill her first." Buffy growled.

"Buffy... We can't risk it. She has people working for her. They could kill Jeremy if anything happens to her." Stefan said.

"So, what are we supposed to do?"

"We need to give her what she wants." Elena said.

"The invention?" Buffy asked. "We can't. We don't even know what it is. Or what it does."

"I do. Well sort of." Bonnie said. "It was in Emily's spell book. Turns out Jonathan Gilbert never invented anything. Not really. Emily spelled all of his inventions so that they would work."

"Ok. So, what does it do?"

"I'm not 100% sure. All I could make out was that it's a weapon."

"A weapon?"

"Against vampires."

"A weapon against vampires. And Isobel wants it. Am I missing something here?"

"I know. It doesn't make sense." Stefan agreed.

"Where's the device?" Bonnie asked.

"Damon has it." Buffy said.

"He's gonna be difficult to reason with." Stefan said.

"Then we'll... We'll go to him. I'll talk to him." Elena said.

"He's not just gonna hand it over, especially if it's harmful to vampires." Stefan said.

"Can you blame him?" Buffy asked. "I mean, last time I checked we're vampires, too, Stefan."

"What if it's not?" Elena asked, while looking at Bonnie.

* * *

"Absolutely not." Damon said.

"Just hear me out." Elena argued.

"I'm not gonna give the device to Isobel so she can give it to John who's gonna turn around and kill me. I like being a living dead person. Buffy, back me up on this." Damon said.

"I'm with Damon on this one. We can find another way to rescue Jeremy." Buffy said.

"But it'll be useless. Bonnie can take its power away." Elena insisted.

"I don't trust her." Damon said.

"I can remove the original spell." Bonnie said.

"John and Isobel will never know." Elena said.

"No." Damon said. "No, me and Buffy will get Jeremy our own way."

"Really?" Stefan asked.

"Mm-hmm."

"How are you gonna do that? Hmm? Because Isobel is a vampire, and Jeremy can be dead the second you two walk in the door."

Damon turned and looked at Bonnie. "Are you even up for this? I mean, no offense. You're no Emily Bennett. Emily knew what she was doing."

"I've been practicing." Bonnie said.

"It's not piano lessons, Honey."

"What's your favorite book?"

"What?"

"Name a book, any book."

"Name a book. How about... 'Call Of The Wild', Jack London?" Bonnie turned and looked at a book shelf. After a moment a book flew off of the shelf and Damon caught it. He looked at the title. "Jack London. Great parlor trick."

"We're doing this, Damon." Elena said. "And we're gonna do it my way. Now, give me the device. We're wasting time."

"I don't trust you. I tried to kill you." Damon said to Bonnie.

"Hmm. You're right. You can't trust me." Bonnie agreed.

"But you can trust me." Elena said. Damon thought it over for a minute and then he handed her the device. "Thank you."

* * *

Bonnie sat the device down on a table in the library, beside of Emily's grimoire. She held her hands over the device and it stared to float above the table. The lights dim and the flames roar in the fireplace. The device fell into Bonnie's hands. She looked over at Elena. "Done."

"Great. Now what?" Damon asked.

"Now we give it to Isobel." Elena said.

* * *

Elena walked through the town square. "Where's the device?" Isobel asked, appearing behind her suddenly.

"Where's my brother?" Elena asked.

"This isn't a negotiation. Where's the invention?"

"Where's my brother?"

"Do you really think that I came alone?" Two humans appeared behind Elena.

"Do you really think that I came alone?" Isobel looked behind her, where Buffy, Damon and Stefan were standing.

"For God sakes, call home."

"What?"

"Call home, ask to speak to your brother Jeremy."

Elena pulled out her phone and called home. Jeremy answered. "Hello?"

"Jeremy. Are you ok?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Uncle John, uh, hit his head. It was an accident."

"And we're all laughing." Jenna called out.

"Yeah, but, um, I'm ok."

"I'll be home soon, all right?"

"Yeah."

Elena hung up and looked at Isobel. "You were never going to hurt him."

"No. I was going to kill him. Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me. I don't have any."

"But you took a risk with Damon. How did you know that he was going to give it to me?"

"Cause he's in love with Buffy. If she asked him for the device, he'd give it to her."

Stefan looked over at Damon, but Damon continued to look straight ahead at Isobel.

"Buffy didn't ask him. She didn't want him to give it up."

"No. But you did. And you begged for it. Buffy's just too good to say no to you forever. So when she caved, so did Damon." Isobel held out her hand. Elena walked over to her and gave her the device.

"Thank you." Elena said.

"For what?"

"For being such a monumental disappointment. It keeps the memory of my real mother perfectly intact."

"Goodbye, Elena. As long as you have a Salvatore on your arm, you're doomed. Katherine was smart. She got out. But we all know that you're not Katherine."

* * *

Later that night, Damon was in the library, pouring himself a drink, when Stefan walked in. "Would you like one?" Damon asked.

"Ahem." Stefan cleared his throat.

"Say it. Whatever it is, purge, get it out."

"It's about what Isobel said."

"What about it?"

"Well, I know that you and Buffy bonded. And I know that she cares about you, and uh, I know that you care about her."

"Well, this is going in an interesting direction."

"I'm just concerned about Buffy being hurt. She considers you a friend."

"Same here. Buffy's a very good friend. Actually, she might qualify as my only friend. Is that a problem?"

"So, at the risk of sounding like a, um, like a big brother..."

"Oh, there's no risk. You do."

"Buffy is not your replacement for Katherine, Damon. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Sure. Sure." Damon started to walk away, but Stefan was suddenly blocking his path.

"Do you... Understand?"

"Hey, whatever you, say, man. I mean, honestly, we're just friends. Anyway, I wasn't looking forward to telling Elena the truth. So, I'll let you do it."

"What truth?" Buffy asked, from where she was standing in the doorway.

"About John." Damon said.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked.

"Am I the only one around here who has the ability to put two and two together? Isobel. Hello? She dated John when she was 15. She gets pregnant, and ends up at the doctor's office of John's brother. Now what do you think John's role is in all of this, huh? I mean, go ahead, think about it. I'll wait. You get it? You there yet? Hmm?"

"So, you think that John is Elena's father?" Buffy asked.

"Ding ding ding! Beauty and brains, ladies and gentlemen."

Stefan scoffed. "What proof do you have?"

"I don't need any proof. That's the DNA tests for John, Elena, and Maury Povich to deal with. But I know how well you deal with these big bombshells, so... Sleep tight."

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

Buffy dropped the lifeless body of the man she had been feeding on, to the ground. Three more bodies lay around her. Her face was covered in blood. As were her hands and clothes. "Well, look at you." He said, as he suddenly appeared in front of her. "Look at the beautiful mess you've made."

"I killed them all."

"Yes. I can see that." He said, barely glancing at the bodies. "How did it feel?"

"Powerful. Good. Right. Free. Like this is what I was made to do. What I'm supposed to do."

"It is. We are vampires, Buffy. We feed off of life. Blood is life. Not only for us, but for humans as well. Blood keeps them alive. And their blood keeps up alive. Without your humanity, you have no conscience to tell you that it's wrong. There is nothing holding you back."

"No. There really isn't." Buffy smirked.

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

 _ ***Sorry if the speech pattern in the flashbacks confuses you. I was trying to fit it to the time period they were supposed to be in. Let me know what you guys think! Thanks! Hope you like it! :)***_


	17. The Fire

"Look at you, all retro." Damon said to Stefan.

"What are you guys doing here?" Stefan asked.

"Why wouldn't we be here?" Damon asked. "Bonnie deactivated the Gilbert invention. Isobel's gone. Heh. And it's Founder's Day."

"Nice outfit, Stefan." Buffy said. "You look like you've come straight from 1864." Buffy laughed.

"Ha, ha, ha. You're very funny, Buffy." Stefan said.

"Well, I try."

"And you succeed." Damon said.

"So, where's the food?" Buffy asked Damon. "You said there would be food. I'm here to eat cotton candy and to have a good time."

Damon laughed. **"** Ok, ok. Come on. Let's go get you some cotton candy. And then we'll find a good spot to watch the parade."

"Lead the way, good sir."

"After you, Mi'lady." Damon bowed.

"You two, go ahead. Laugh it up." Stefan said, smiling.

"Oh, don't worry..." Buffy said.

"We will." Damon finished.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our stunning Miss Mystic Falls Court and their handsome escorts." Carol Lockwood announced. Elena and Stefan waved to the crowd. "This is Caroline Forbes, Miss Mystic Falls." Caroline and Matt waved. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Damon and Buffy waved to Stefan and Elena. Damon glanced behind him and noticed Bonnie. "What do you want?" Bonnie asked.

"Just watching the parade." Damon said. Bonnie started walking away. "Where are you going?" Damon asked, as he pulled Buffy along with him.

"Away from you."

"I want to say something to you."

"Just leave me alone."

"Thank you. The device that Emily spelled could have killed us." He gestured between himself and Buffy. "I don't take what you did lightly, so... Thank you."

"I did it for Elena."

"I know that. But I'm still very grateful."

"Same here. Thank you, Bonnie." Buffy said.

"I owe you." Damon said. He grabbed Buffy's hand. "Enjoy the parade." They walked away.

"That was... Uncharacteristically nice of you." Buffy said.

"Yeah, I know. But I meant it. She really came through for us." Damon said.

"True. Come on. Let's go watch the rest of the parade."

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked into the Grill. "You want something to drink?" Damon asked.

"Just a beer." Buffy said.

"You got it. Be right back." He headed towards the bar.

"Elena, hey." Buffy said, as she spotted Elena.

"Hey, Buffy." Elena said.

"I like you better like this." Damon said, as he handed Buffy her drink. "The period look, it... Didn't suit you."

"Is that an insult?" Elena asked.

"Actually, Elena. It is a compliment. Of the highest order."

"Just take it, Elena." Buffy said. "He's giving them out today. Who knows how long it'll be before you get another one from him."

"Fine. Thank you, Damon." Elena said.

"You're welcome."

Buffy noticed Elena looking at Jeremy. "What's going on with you two?" Buffy asked, motioning to Jeremy.

"He read my journal." Elena said.

"Oh."

"Yeah. He knows everything now. About vampires, you, Stefan and Damon. About Vicki and how I had Damon compel him to forget."

"Ouch."

"I'll be right back." Elena said, walking over to Jeremy. "I don't believe that we can't fix this. I lied. I was wrong. But you're my brother, Jer, and I love you. And I have to fix it. So, just tell me. What can I do?"

"You can go to Hell, Elena." Jeremy said. He stood up and walked away.

Damon grabbed Buffy's hand and they followed Jeremy outside. "I have so many emotions, but I don't have any way to express them. Being a teenager is so hard." Damon said, mockingly.

"You dick." Jeremy said.

"You do not talk to me like that. I'm not your sister. And from now on, don't talk to your sister that way, either."

"So, what, you're gonna kill me just 'cause I hurt Elena's feelings?"

"He's killed for a lot less." Buffy said, shrugging.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Cut her some slack."

"She erased my memories."

"No. I did. She was protecting you."

"It wasn't her call to make." Jeremy turned to walk away, but Damon grabbed onto his arm. "Let go of me before I make a scene."

"You'll be unconscous before you even get a word out."

"Let him go." Stefan said, as he suddenly appeared. Damon let go of Jeremy. "You all right?"

"Yeah." Jeremy said.

"What my brother is trying to say is don't blame Elena for this. Damon turned Vicki. I killed her. She was a threat to you, and she was a threat to your sister. I'm sorry that it happened. I wish that it hadn't."

"Shouldn't have made me forget." Jeremy said, as he walked away.

"Good cop, bad cop... I like it." Damon said.

"What are you doing? Hmm?" Stefan asked.

"He was being a punk, Stefan." Buffy said.

"Elena's relationship with her brother is none of your business. You two need to stay out of it."

"Oh, you hear that, Buffy? There's only one do-gooder hero role available. Oh, our bad. We're so sorry." Damon sarcastically said.

"Get over yourself, Damon. We both know that you're not a hero." Stefan said. "You don't do anything for the right reasons."

"Stefan, you really need to back off. Right now." Buffy said.

"It's ok, Buffy." Damon said. "Uh, wh...What are the right reasons, Stefan? Enlighten me. Please."

"Well, see, Damon, it's only real when it comes from your desire to do the right thing for nothing in return." Stefan said.

"Right. Yeah."

"And I know that, that is an entirely foreign concept to you. I completely understand how you wouldn't get it." Stefan walked away.

* * *

Later that night, Damon found Buffy with Stefan and Elena. He walked up to them and grabbed Buffy's hand. "Hey." He said.

"Hey. What's up?" Buffy asked.

"15 words or less... Tomb vamps are here. Founding families are the target." Damon looked at Stefan. "Get Elena out of here. Now. Buffy, you're with me."

"Right." Buffy said, nodding.

"Wait. Wait." Stefan called, as Damon and Buffy started to walk away. "Where are you guys going?"

"That's more than 15 words, Stefan." Damon called out, over his shoulder.

"How do you know that the vamps are here?" Buffy asked, as her and Damon kept walking.

"Anna told me."

* * *

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Damon asked John, as he and Buffy walked into the building that he was in.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I do." John said, calmly. He turned on the device, and a high-pitched squeal noise filled the air.

Damon covered his ears and fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Buffy tried to stay on her feet. She rushed over to John and grabbed his throat, weakly. "Turn. It. Off." She growled, her teeth clenched. John shoved a needle filled with vervain into her neck. Buffy fell to her knees, but she was still awake. John kicked her in the face and she passed out.

* * *

Buffy slowly started to regain consciousness. Her vision was a little foggy at first. "The device is done." John told the deputy. "The only thing keeping them down is the vervain. We don't have much time. Let's finish this."

Buffy started to smell gasoline. _'Oh, God! No!'_ She thought.

"Anna." She heard John say. She glanced over and saw Anna lying on the floor. "You can head up. I'll take it from here." He said to the deputy. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stake.

"Please." Anna begged. "No." He staked her. He finished pouring the gas on the stairs and once he reached the top, he set it on fire.

"Damon?" Buffy asked, looking to her right.

"I'm here, Buffy. I'm here." Damon said.

"Oh, God. We're going to die. We're going to burn alive!" Buffy started to panic.

"No. Buffy. Look at me. We're going to get out of here. Ok?" Damon looked past Buffy and saw something. "Mayor. Is that you?"

"What are you doing here?!" Mayor Lockwood demanded.

"We're vampires. What's your excuse?" The Mayor started to back away. "No, really. The vervain didn't affect you. You're not a vampire. What the hell are you?"

The Mayor fell back onto one of the tomb vamps. "Mayor Lockwood." The vamp said, as he snapped the Mayor's neck.

Damon turned his attention back to Buffy. "Can you sit up?" He asked. Buffy pushed herself up into a sitting position. "That's good, Buffy."

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait." Stefan said to Elena, as they searched for Damon and Buffy. "I can hear them. The building's on fire."

"What?" Elena asked.

"Building's on fire."

* * *

"Oh, God. Oh, God." Buffy cried.

"Hey, hey, hey. Buffy. Buffy, you need to try and stay calm, ok?" Damon pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Just then, a beam fell from the ceiling and landed beside of them.

"Ah!" Buffy screamed.

Damon managed to sit down. "Buffy. Come here. It's ok." Buffy crawled over to Damon and curled up in his lap. Damon wrapped his arms around her. "Shh... It's ok. It's going to be ok."

"I don't want to die, Damon. Especially not like this." Buffy sobbed.

"We're not going to die. Do you hear me? Stefan is going to find us. He will find us."

"Even if he does... He can't get in. The building's on fire."

* * *

"Where's Damon and Buffy?" Elena asked John.

"With the rest of them, where he should be." John said, as he looked at Stefan. "It's over for Damon and Buffy."

"You're crazy."

"Why? Because I'm doing what should have been done 145 years ago? This is the right thing, Elena." Stefan eyed the building behind John. "Go ahead. You won't make it out. It'll save me the trouble of killing you myself."

Stefan looked at Elena. "You know the building well. Is there another entrance in?"

"Utility door. There's one around the side." Elena said.

Stefan rushed off. Elena tried to follow, but John grabbed her. "You take one more step and I'll alert those deputies that they missed a vampire." John said.

"I'm asking you not to."

"That doesn't mean anything to me."

"As my father, it should."

"You know."

"I wasn't sure. But now I am." Elena walked towards the building.

"Hey! You can't go in there." Bonnie yelled at Stefan. Stefan ignored her and opened the door. "The fire will take you out."

"He's my brother, Bonnie. And she's my friend." Stefan ran inside.

"Stefan!" Elena yelled.

"Elena! You... You can't go in there." Bonnie said.

"Bonnie, what are you doing?" Elena asked.

"I'm sorry I lied to you." Bonnie started chanting.

"Bonnie, I've got to get in there."

* * *

Stefan opened the basement door, but the stairs were on fire. Suddenly the flames died down. Stefan rushed down the stairs. Once he reached the bottom, he saw Damon and Buffy, clinging to each other. "Damon. Buffy." Stefan rushed over to therm. "Come on. Hurry up. Hurry up."

"Vervain." Damon said. **"They injected us. Buffy got more of it. She's really weak, Stefan. She can't walk."**

"I've got you. Both of you." Stefan said. He lifted Buffy in his arms and grabbed onto Damon's arm and raced up the stairs and outside.

"Oh, my God." Elena said, as she saw them.

Buffy and Damon started coughing. Bonnie started to walk away. "Where do you think you're going?" Buffy asked her.

"I... Um..." Bonnie stammered.

"You lied to us."

"I know."

"You almost got us killed."

"I know."

"No. No, you don't know. We trusted you. We thanked you. And you knew. This whole time. You knew that the device still worked. And you said nothing. I'm only going to tell you this once. You come near me again... And I will kill you." Bonnie stood there, frozen in fear. "Take us home, Stefan." Buffy said.

* * *

Later that night, Buffy walked into Damon's room. He was lying in his bed. "Hi." Buffy said.

Damon turned his head to look at her. "Hi. How ya feeling?"

Buffy shrugged. "Better. You?"

"Same."

Buffy walked over to the bed, leaned down and kissed him. "Thank you." She said, when she pulled back.

"For what?"

"For telling me that we were going to be ok. That we weren't going to die."

"You don't have to thank me, Buffy."

"I know that. I wanted to."

* * *

 _ ***Sorry it's so short! Let me know what you guys think! Thanks, hope you liked it! :)***_


	18. It's Not Over

"Buffy, we need to get to the hospital." Damon said, as he walked into her room.

"Why? What happened?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. Caroline was in some sort of accident."

"Let's go."

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked into the hospital and Damon immediately spotted Liz. "Liz. We came as soon as we got the message." Damon said.

"Is she ok?" Buffy asked.

"She's in surgery. It's... They're doing everything they can." Liz said. "I need your help. Both of you."

"Sure, anything." Damon said.

"Mayor Lockwood is dead. They thought he was a vampire. They put him in the basement."

"Mayor Lockwood was a vampire?"

"No, no, no. A mistake was made. They said he dropped like the others when John's device went off, but he... He couldn't have been a vampire! I've known the man my whole life. I know Carol Lockwood is going to want answers, and all I can think about right now is Caroline. And... And, um..." Liz broke off, crying.

"It's ok. Hey. It's ok." Buffy said, as she tried to comfort Liz.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked around the corner and heard Elena asking Bonnie about Caroline. "She's weak." Bonnie replied. "They don't know if she's going to make it."

"Is there something that you can do?" Elena asked. "Like a spell or something?"

"She doesn't know how." Buffy said, as she and Damon walked up to Elena and Bonnie. "Do you?"

"No. I don't." Bonnie admitted, truthfully.

"No, you don't." Damon agreed. "Because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that."

"Oh, well, I can take down a vampire. That spell was easy to learn."

"Keep making comments like that and I'll make good on my promise." Buffy said. "I'm a lot stronger than Stefan, so that little migraine spell might hurt a little, but I can work through the pain."

"I can give Caroline some blood." Damon suggested.

"No. No way." Elena said, shaking her head.

"No, no, no, just enough to heal her. She'll be safe in the hospital, it'll be out of her system in a day. She'll be better, Elena."

"It's too risky. I can't agree to that."

"Do it." Bonnie said. She looked over at Elena. "This is Caroline. Ok? We can't let her die. Do it."

"If I do this, you and me, call a truce." Damon said.

"No. But you'll do it anyway. For Elena." Bonnie said, as she walked away.

"Uh, all right, I know this is probably the last thing that you wanna do right now, but we should talk about what happened tonight." Damon said, looking at Elena.

"Yeah, one of the tomb vampires got into the house and almost killed John!" Elena said.

"What? What... When? What are you talking about, after I left?"

"You were there?"

"Come on, Elena. You know I was."

"When were you at the house?"

"Really? Earlier, on the porch. We were talking, all cathartic, feelings exposed. Come on, you were a real bitch, Elena!"

"Ok... I don't have time for this, Damon."

"Hey, if you want to forget it happened, fine. But I can't."

"Elena! I came as soon as I got your message. How's John?" Jenna asked, as she walked over to them.

"Where have you been?" Elena asked.

"At the fire department. I had to fill out a report. I told you earlier."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"No, Jenna, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"Ohh." Damon said. "Mmm, you gotta be kidding me."

"No freaking way!" Buffy exclaimed, as she figured it out.

"Come on. We need to go." Damon said.

* * *

Damon, Buffy and Elena walked into Elena's house. As they walked through the door, they saw Stefan lying on the ground. "Stefan?" Elena asked. "What happened?"

"Katherine happened." Damon said. "Did she say what she wanted?"

"No." Stefan said.

"Woman certainly knows how to make an entrance."

"She said she fooled one of us at least. What does that... What does that mean?"

"She pretended to be Elena, too, when I showed up earlier tonight."

"I told Jeremy. I couldn't lie to him anymore." Elena said.

"Are you all right?" Stefan asked Elena.

"No, I'm not all right. I thought with all the tomb vampires gone things would get better."

"I know. We all did."

"Katherine was in this house. That means that she's been invited in. What are we going to do?"

"Move." Damon suggested.

"Very helpful. Thank you." Elena said.

"Katherine wants you dead, there's zero you can do about it, you would be dead. But you're not. So clearly she has other plans."

"Right, and we need to find out what those other plans are and not provoke her in the process." Stefan said, looking pointedly at Damon and Buffy. "What happened tonight when you thought she was Elena?"

"We argued." Damon said.

"What do you mean, you argued? Argued about what?"

"About things, Stefan."

"What kind of things, Damon?"

"Ugh. About... Buffy."

"Me? What about me?" Buffy asked.

"Katherine said... She called me pathetic. Said that I was a fool. That it was downright laughable. That Buffy would... That she would never feel... For me. Said that she would always be in love with someone else. It pissed me off. So, yeah. We argued."

"And you thought it was me?" Elena asked.

"John." Buffy said. Everyone turned to look at her. "John must know something. There has to be a reason why Katherine tried to kill him."

"She's Katherine!" Damon exclaimed. "She likes to play games, and you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what she's up to before she wants you to know."

"No. Actually, Buffy's right." Stefan said. "John could know something through Isobel."

"Exactly." Buffy said. "Elena, your mother was in touch with Katherine. So maybe we can go to the hospital and talk to John."

"I've got a better idea." Damon said.

"What's that?" Elena asked.

"I'm just going to ignore the bitch."

"Is that smart?"

"If Katherine thinks she's being ignored, it'll lure her out. She'll make a move."

"Yeah, then what?" Stefan asked.

"Stake her, rip her head off. Something poetic. We'll see."

* * *

"Did you know that the Gilbert device affected Tyler Lockwood?" Bonnie asked Damon and Buffy, as she walked up to them.

"Well... We know it took the Mayor down." Damon said.

"Don't you want to know why?"

"Yes, Bonnie, we would love to know why a non-vampire was tortured by the vampire torture device that you let John Gilbert use against us."

"Speaking of your guilt, how's Caroline?" Buffy asked.

"She's much better."

"Your welcome." Damon said.

"No, your welcome."

"How am I welcome?"

"You'll live to see another day."

"No good deed goes unpunished with you, does it?"

"Doesn't undo the bad. I know what you are, Damon. You might have Elena, and the Sheriff, and everybody else fooled, but not me."

"Hmm."

"One wrong move, and I'm gonna take you out."

"You need to stop with the witche's brew. You're starting to believe your own press." Bonnie looked at Damon and he grabbed his head, groaning in pain.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You were saying?"

"Bonnie. Back off." Buffy growled. Bonnie looked at Buffy the same way she had looked at Damon. Buffy didn't grab her head or groan in pain. Bonnie looked confused. "I told you. I'm a hell of a lot stonger than Stefan and Damon. My pain tolerance is much higher than theirs. So, if you want to try and take me on... You better harness a lot more power. You are not a witch. Not really. Right now, you're just a spoiled brat, playing Sabrina. And, I've gotta tell ya... I've had just about enough of it. So, back the fuck off. Last warning. Got it?"

"Whatever." Bonnie huffed and walked away.

"My own personal bodyguard... I like it." Damon said, grinning wildly.

"Is that so?" Buffy asked.

"Mm-hmm. Especially if you're the one protecting my delicious body."

Buffy laughed and shook her head.

* * *

"Hey." Elena said, as she walked over to Damon and Buffy. "How are you doing?" She asked Damon.

"Great, Elena. Walkin' on sunshine. Thanks for asking." Damon said.

"Damon..."

"Elena."

"We should be able to talk about this. Damon, we're close enough now. I really wanna know how you're doing."

"Well, let's see. Katherine's back. She got into my head. Doppelganger hijinks ensued. How do you think I'm doing?"

"I think you're hurt."

"Hmm. Oh, I don't get hurt, Elena."

"No. You don't admit that you get hurt. You get angry and cover it up, and then you do something stupid."

"You're scared. You think Katherine's going to send me off the deep end, don't you? I don't need hurt for that."

"Elena!" Bonnie yelled, as she ran up to them.

"Bonnie, what happened?" Elena asked.

* * *

"Are you going to be ok?" Elena asked Stefan, as she cleaned his wound.

"Yeah. It'll heal." Stefan said.

"That's not what I meant."

"I was trying to figure her out. I was playing along, I let her get to me."

"We tried to track her, but she's gone. She's covered her scent." Buffy said.

"Ooh, cover up, Fabio." Damon said. **"** We got a crazy ex on the loose. Better watch out, looks like Katherine's trying to steal your guy, Elena."

"That's not what's happening." Stefan said.

"Isn't it?"

"I'm gonna go check on Jenna and Jeremy." Elena said, As she walked away.

"Katherine's going to try to play us against each other. You do know that, right?" Stefan asked.

"Brother, don't you worry. Our bond is unbreakable!" Damon joked.

"We need to stay united against her. You actually care. I'm not going to let Katherine come in here and destroy that part of you that has finally, after all this time, willing to feel something. She'll try to break you. She'll try to break us. And how we respond to that will define us. It's our choice."

* * *

Once they returned home, Buffy grabbed her coat and headed towards the front door. "Where are you going?" Damon asked.

"Out. I need to think. Clear my head." Buffy said.

"You're worried. About Katherine."

"I'm worried about how far she'll push you."

"Buffy..."

"Look, I know you said that you're over her..."

"Because I am over her."

"I don't believe that. I'm sorry, Damon. But I just don't."

"Buffy, come on."

"It was easy for you to forget about her. She wasn't here. But now, she's back. Everything that you once felt for her... It'll come rushing back."

"No, it won't. I hate her, Buffy."

"It's a fine line between love and hate. And right now, you're straddling it." Buffy opened the door and walked out.

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

"How could you do this?" Buffy asked.

"How could I not? You know what they did." He said.

"Yes, but..."

"It's a fine line between love and hate, Buffy. People cross it everyday."

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

Buffy walked into the house. "Damon? I'm back." She heard a noise coming from the library, so she headed in that direction. When she entered the room, she saw Damon, with his shirt unbuttoned, kissing Katherine. "Well..." Buffy said. "I guess It really is a fine line after all."

Damon stopped kissing Katherine and turned to face Buffy. "Buffy... I can explain..." Damon started.

"There's no need."

"Hello, Buffy." Katherine said.

"Katherine."

"It's been a long time. I'm surprised to see that you're not still with..."

"I should rip your head off right not."

Katherine smirked. "But you won't. Not yet anyway."

"Don't be so sure."

"Hmm. See you around." Katherine ran out the door.

Buffy looked at Damon for a second, before turning and walking out of the room. Damon followed after her. "Buffy. Listen, just give me a second to explain."

"There's nothing you need to explain. I get it. I told you, I knew that you weren't over her. It's fine."

"Buffy... Please."

"Goodnight, Damon."

* * *

 _ ***Let me know what you guys think! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy it! :)***_


	19. You're Worth Saving

Buffy and Stefan walked into the library, where Damon was pouring himself a glass of blood. "Would either of you care for one?" Damon asked.

"No. Thank you. I'm not hungry. Just ate." Stefan said.

"All right. What about you, Buffy?"

"I'm good. Thanks." Buffy said.

"Aren't you worried that one day, all the forrest animals are gonna band together and fight back?" Damon asked Stefan. "I mean, surely they talk."

"I'm just happy that's a, uh... A blood bag and not a sorority girl supplying your dinner." Stefan said, pointing to the glass of blood that Damon was drinking from.

"I like this, you two walking on eggshells around me because you think I'm gonna explode. It's very suspenseful."

"Have you heard from Katherine?"

"I think the Lockwood's have a family secret, because the Gilbert device affected them. Vervain didn't. So they're not vampires. They're something else."

"Is this your new obsession?"

"Oh, you'd rather some unknown supernatural element running rampant in our town, fine. I'll drop it."

"We haven't seen the last of Katherine. You know that, right? We have no idea what she's up to."

"Psh." Damon scoffed. "Sure we do. She came back to profess her undying, eternal love for you, so I'm gonna let you deal with her, 'cause I have more important things to do, like explode." Damon walked out of the room.

"Katherine was here. Last night." Buffy said.

"What?" Stefan asked.

"She was messing with his head. Again."

"That must be what set him off."

"I really hate that bitch."

"Yeah, so do I."

* * *

Buffy was walking around the carnival, when she spotted Damon watching Tyler Lockwood arm wrestle. She walked up to him. "You're obsessing." Buffy whispered.

"Observing." Damon said.

"More like obsessing." Stefan said, as he walked up.

"That's what I just said." Buffy said.

"He's got strength." Damon said, as Tyler won the match.

"He's a triple-letter varsity athlete. Of course he has strength." Stefan said.

"You're reaching." Buffy said, agreeing with Stefan.

"Enter the Uncle." Damon said, as Mason Lockwood walked up to Tyler.

"I bet I can take you." Mason said.

"Bring it on surfer boy." Tyler said.

"This is ridiculous." Stefan said.

Mason and Tyler struggled against each other for a few seconds, before Mason slammed Tyler's arm down onto the table. "All right, he's the champ." Tyler grunted. "Who wants to go next?"

"Uh, Stefan wants a go." Damon called out.

"Thanks." Stefan whispered. "Uh, yeah, sure, I'll uh... I'll give it a shot."

"Go Stef." Damon yelled.

"Get him, Stef." Buffy shouted.

"My brother over there thinks I can beat you." Stefan said to Mason.

"You're brother's wrong." Mason said. The bell dings and they struggle with each other. The match lasted a few seconds longer than the one with Tyler, but Mason still won.

"You didn't put in any effort at all." Damon huffed, as Stefan walked back over.

"Yeah, actually, I did."

"What the hell?" Buffy asked. "I wanna try."

"Woah. Woah there, Mighty Mouse." Damon said, stopping her.

"What?"

"Buffy, hun. I say this lovingly. You're a girl. A very tiny girl. And yes, you are super strong, and you could kill Mason without any effort at all. It would look highly suspicious if you beat him."

"Fine." Buffy said, pouting.

"Come with me." They walked off to a secluded corner. Damon turned to Stefan. "Is he..."

"No, no, no. It wasn't that kind of strength, but it was more than human, if that makes any sense." Stefan said.

"What is up with that family? If they're not vampires, then what the hell are they?"

"Ooh. Uh, maybe they're, uh, Ninja Turtles **."** Stefan suggested, jokingly. Buffy shook her head, laughing.

"You're not funny."

"Or, no, zombies."

"Werewolves." Buffy said.

"No comedic timing at all." Damon said.

"No, I'm serious."

"Werewolves? Really, Buffy?"

"They're real. I've been around a very long time, Damon. Trust me. They're real."

Damon looked around and spotted a young guy, working on a speaker. Stefan noticed. "What? What are you up to?" Stefan asked.

"Since this is reality and there's no such thing as werewolves or combat turtles."

"I said, 'Ninja Turtles'."

Damon walked over to the guy. "Hey, you."

"I have a name."

"Yeah, I don't care." Damon grabbed him and looked into his eyes, compelling him. "I need you to pick a fight with someone, kid named Tyler Lockwood."

"Damon, don't do this." Stefan said.

"No, no. It's just an experiment." Damon said, waving him off. "Get him mad. Don't back down, no matter what he does, ok?"

"I won't back down."

"I know you won't."

"You do realize somebody's gonna get hurt, right?" Stefan asked.

"No, someone's gonna get mad, as in rage."

"And what's that gonna accomplish?"

"That Tyler kid is incapable of walking away from a fight. Let's see who intervenes. Maybe it's the ambiguously supernatural mystery Uncle."

* * *

Damon and Buffy were walking down the hallway. They heard someone behind them, so they turned around. It was Caroline. "Oh, hey, blondie." Damon said.

"Caroline, hey." Buffy said. "They let you out."

"I remember." Caroline said.

"What do you remember?" Damon asked.

"I remember how you manipulated me... You pushed me around, abused me, erased my memories. Fed on me."

"You're crazy."

"Damon..." Buffy warned.

"Well, the memories have been coming back in pieces."

"You can't remember. It's impossible. I mean, unless you were becoming a..."

"Damon...We should go find Stefan." Buffy said.

"I have a message from Katherine. She said, 'Game on'."

"Wait..." Damon said.

Caroline grabbed Damon and shoved him to the ground. "You suck." She said.

* * *

"How did this happen? Hmm?" Stefan asked. Buffy had found him and told him about Caroline. Damon had found Elena and told her.

"Well, I fed her blood, and Katherine obviously killed her, and 'A' plus 'B' equals..." Damon said.

"But why?" Elena asked.

"Because Katherine is a manipulative, nasty little slut." Damon said.

"And she said, 'Game on'?" Stefan asked. "I mean, what does that even mean?"

"It means she's playing dirty. And she wants us to know." Buffy said.

"But why Caroline?" Elena asked.

"Ah, I don't know." Damon said.

"Caroline must be completely out of her mind. She has no idea what's happening to her." Stefan said.

"Oh, I think she does. All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition."

"We have to find her."

"Yep, and kill her."

"You're not gonna kill Caroline." Elena said.

"She knows who we are. She's officially a liability. We gotta get rid of her."

"Damon, absolutly not." Stefan said.

"Need I remind you of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan? Yeah. Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother's a vampire hunter. Guy's, come on. We all know how this story ends, so let's just flip to the last chapter and..."

"It's not an option, Damon." Elena said.

"No? Your silence is deafening, Stefan. Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki? Huh. Talk about a town where history repeats itself. You know I'm right."

"We're not gonna kill her." Stefan said.

"It's the only way."

* * *

Buffy and Damon found Caroline sitting on a flat-bed, sobbing. The guy that Damon had compelled to fight Tyler was lying behind her, dead. "He's dead." Caroline said. "I killed him. What's wrong with me?"

"Hey. Hey, it's ok. We can help you." Damon said.

"You can?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do. I'm gonna kill you."

"Damon, no." Buffy said.

"Please don't. I don't want to die." Caroline cried.

"Yeah, but you're already dead." Damon said.

"No, I'm not. Don't say that. Ok? Just help me. Ok, just... Help me, please."

"Ok, ok, ok."

"Please. Please."

"It's gonna be ok. Shh. It's ok. It's the only way." Damon raised the stake, as he started to stake Caroline, Buffy shoved her out of the way, causing Damon to stake Buffy in her shoulder. Stefan and Elena showed up. Stefan pushed Damon away from Buffy.

"Get away from me! You killed me." Caroline screamed, as Elena tried to get near her.

"No, no, no, no, Caroline. That wasn't me. You know that. That was Katherine." Elena said.

"No! Then why does she look like you? Why... Why did she do this to me?"

"Stefan, we gotta get her inside." Buffy said.

"It's all right, Caroline. Come with us." Stefan said.

"She will die. It's only a matter of time." Damon said.

"Yeah, maybe so, but it's not gonna happen tonight." Stefan said.

"Oh, yeah, it is." Damon picked the stake up and rushed Caroline.

Buffy jumped in front of her and got stabbed again, this time in her chest. She backhanded Damon and he went flying across the parking lot. "Son of a bitch!" Buffy exclaimed.

"You ok?" Stefan asked.

"Fine. Let's just get Caroline inside."

"Whatever happens, it's on you." Damon yelled.

"We've gotta get her cleaned up."

"Caroline?" Bonnie asked.

"It's ok. Come on." Stefan said.

"Oh. You're not. You can... You can't be." Bonnie marched up to Caroline and grabbed her arm.

"Bonnie." Caroline said.

Buffy and Stefan pulled Caroline into the bathroom. Buffy grabbed some papertowels and wet them. "It's all right. Come here. Let me clean you up." Buffy said.

"She hates me. Bonnie hates me."

"No, no, no. She's just in shock. We all are, ok?" Stefan said.

"And what about Matt? What... What am I gonna do about Ma..."

"Shh. One thing at a time. Let's just get this blood cleaned off." Buffy said.

"I'm a murderer. I'm a monster."

"Listen to me. Your emotions are heightened right now. It's part of the transformation. It's completely normal, I promise you. All right?"

"Ahh! Why does this keep happening to my face?" Caroline asked, as she vamped out. "I'm... I'm hideous."

"Caroline, look at me. Look at me. Look at me. Caroline. Caroline! Look at me! Look at me! Look at me. Look at my face. Look at my face. Shh! Shh! Look. Look, look, look." Buffy vamped out. "See it? You see that? Yeah? When you feel the blood rush in, you tell yourself that you're gonna get through it, that you're strong enough."

Caroline shook her head. "Yes. Yes. No matter how good it feels to give yourself over to it, you fight it off. You bury it." Stefan said.

"Watch us. Watch us." Buffy said. Buffy and Stefan took a few deep breaths and their faces returned to normal. "That's the only way you're gonna survive this thing. Try it. Shh. Try it." Caroline took deep breaths and her face started going back to normal. "That's good."

"Why did Katherine do this to me?"

"I don't know. I wish I did." Stefan said. "I promise you, I will not let anything happen to you."

"Same here." Buffy said. Outside, Damon was screaming in pain. "Stefan, stay here with her." Buffy ran outside.

Damon was on the ground, with his head in his hands, screaming in pain. "I didn't do it!"

"Bonnie, it wasn't his fault." Elena said.

"Everything that happens is his fault, Elena." Bonnie said. Suddenly, Bonnie set Damon on fire.

"Bonnie, stop it! You're gonna kill him!"

Buffy ran over and wrapped her arms around Bonnie's neck. Holding her in a headlock. "Stop it now! Or I will snap your neck."

"Bonnie, please! Stop!" Elena screamed.

"I mean it. I will kill you. Right here. Right now."

Suddenly, the flames died out. Buffy let go of Bonnie and went to check on Damon. "You ok?"

"I... I don't know. I need to heal." Damon said.

"Come on. I'll get you home." Buffy helped Damon up.

* * *

Later that night, Buffy walked into Damon's room. "Hey."

"Hey." Damon said.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. All healed up."

"Good. That's good."

"Why are you always saving me, Buffy. I'm not worth it."

"Damon..." Buffy sighed.

"No. I seriously want to know why."

"I don't know. Maybe it's because... I see something in you, Damon."

"Like what?"

"Hope. You're not all bad, even though you pretend to be. You have feelings. You care. You just bury it deep down, so that no one can see. Because you're afraid of being hurt."

"Buffy. I'm not good."

"Yes, you are. I see it, Damon. That's why I saved you. I finally realized that."

* * *

 _ ***Let me know what you guys think! Hope you enjoyed it! Thank's for reading! :)***_


	20. Vampires and Werewolves, Oh My!

_***Flashback***_

"Buffy! Hurry up, dear sister! We shall be terribly late." Faith called.

A maid walked downstairs. "Miss Buffy is feeling ill. She says for you to go on without her."

"Feeling ill? But... She was perfectly fine this morning. What's wrong with her?"

"I'm not supposed to say Miss."

"Well, I shall find out." Faith walked upstairs and stopped at Buffy's door. "Buffy. I'm coming in." She opened the door and walked inside. She was horrified at what she saw. "Oh, Buffy!" Faith gasped. "What has he done?"

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

"Thanks for coming, Ric." Damon said, as Alaric walked into the house. **"** You need something to drink? Coffee? Bourbon? Bourbon in your coffee?"

"Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric said.

"Yeah. We were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family." Stefan said.

"Now why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?"

"Well, you wouldn't. But your dead... Not dead vampire wife might." Damon said.

"Isobel's research, from when you guys were at Duke together." Elena said.

"You said that she had spent years researching this town." Stefan said.

"Isobel's research here... Mystic Falls... Was rooted in folklore and legend. At the time, I thought most of which was fiction."

"Like that amazing vampire story." Damon smirked.

"Aside from vampires, what else?" Elena asked.

"The Lycanthrope."

"Wait. Like werewolves?"

"Ha! I told you so! I knew it!" Buffy exclaimed.

"No way. Impossible. Way too Lon Chaney." Damon argued.

"Is it?" Stefan asked.

"I've been on this planet 160-some odd years. I've never come across one. If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?"

"Well, I've been on this planet 865 years. I'm telling you, they exist." Buffy said.

"Well, why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked.

"Because vervain didn't effect the Mayor on Founder's Day but the Gilbert device did. And it effected his son Tyler." Damon said.

"And at the school carnival, his Uncle Mason exhibited inhuman behavior when he fought one of the carnival workers. It suggested some sort of a supernatural entity." Stefan added.

"We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is." Elena said.

"Well, all of her things are still at Duke. I mean, her office is still there. She's technically still missing."

"So can we get access to it?" Damon asked.

"Ric, we need to know what we're dealing with." Buffy said. "Even though I already know, but that's not good enough." She mumbled.

"If this wolfman thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know it's not good. It means that Mason Lockwood is a real-life Lon Chaney. And that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney JR." Damon said.

"What does that make you? Bela Lugosi?" Buffy asked, sarcastically.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Which means Bela Lugosi... Meaning me... Is totally screwed."

* * *

Buffy and Damon were standing outside Elena's house, waiting on Elena. "Sorry you can't come too, Stef." Damon said, as Stefan and Elena walked outside.

"Ok. Time to go." Buffy said. Damon got into the passenger seat and Buffy climbed in the backseat with Elena.

After a few hours on the road, Damon turned and looked at Elena. "How ya doin' back there?" Elena said nothing. **"** You know, this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly."

"I don't think she's pretending. You did kill her brother." Alaric said.

"There is a huge asterisk next to that statement. He came back to life."

"Yeah. Thanks to a ring that you didn't know he was wearing." Elena said.

"Why are you so sure I didn't know?"

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"You're lying."

"Elena, I saw the ring. Big tacky thing. It's hard to miss."

* * *

"So Isobel was officially employed by the Anthropology Department given that most paranormal phenomena is rooted in folklore." Alaric explained, as they walked into the building. "Excuse me. Hi, I'm Alaric Saltzman. I called earlier." He said to the girl working in the building.

"Yes. Of course. I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant... Comparative Folklore. Uh, let me just grab Isobel's keys."

"I'm sorry. These are my friends Elena, Buffy and Damon. I hope this isn't too much of an imposition."

"Please. Isobel's office is right through there. Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student. She was brilliant. One of the reasons I went into folklore. I have to ask... Has there been any news?"

"No. No. I'm afraid not."

"It's right this way." Vanessa unlocked the door and walked inside. "I'll grab the light. Feel free to look around."

Buffy noticed that the light switch was next to the door. _'What is she up to?'_

"It's fascinating, isn't it?"

"Mm-hmm." Damon mumbled.

Vanessa walked out of the room. "Where is she going?" Buffy asked. Vanessa returned with a crossbow and shot an arrow at Elena. Damon jumped in front of her. Buffy pinned Vanessa to the wall by her throat and took the crossbow away from her. "Damon, you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just perfect. I've been shot!"

"Elena, help him."

"Pull it out. I can't reach it, Elena. Just pull the damn thing out. It hurts." Elena pulled the arrow out of Damon's back. "Ahh. That bitch is dead."

"Uh, you're not going to kill her." Elena said.

"Watch me."

"You touch her and I swear I will never speak to you again."

"What makes you think that has any power over me? 'Cause I took an arrow in the back for you? You are severely overestimating yourself. If I haden't of done it, Buffy would have. I owed her. 'Cause I accidentally staked her twice, whenever I was trying to stake Caroline."

"Right. I forgot that I was speaking to a psychotic mind who snaps and kills people impulsively. Fine. Go ahead. Do whatever you want."

"You're trying to manipulate me."

"If by 'manipulate' you mean tell the truth, ok. Guilty. Ok."

* * *

"Please! Ok I freaked. All right, you would have done the same thing. It is not possible! Katherine Pierce can't be alive. And Damon Salvatore died in 1864. Ok. I read Isobel's research." Vanessa said.

"So, your first reaction is to grab a crossbow?" Buffy asked.

"If you read Isobel's research, then you should know just how possible this is." Alaric said.

Elena and Damon walked into the room. "I'm Elena Gilbert, Isobel's daughter and a descendent of Katherine Pierce."

"And this is Damon Salvatore, who you just shot." Buffy said, pointing to Damon.

"I'd be extra nice to me right now." Damon said.

"Look, we need your help. Ok. We need to see all of Isobel's research, anything related to Mystic Falls." Elena said.

Vanessa walked over to a shelf and grabbed a box. "This box tracks Katherine's arrival to Mystic Falls in April of 1864."

"Is that all there is about her?" Elena asked.

"All that I'm aware of."

Elena spotted some vervain in the box. "Here. Take this." She said, handing it to Vanessa.

"Does Vervain really work?"

"Nope! Not at all." Damon yelled from the doorway.

"Can he hear us?"

"No! That would be creepy!" Damon whispered loudly.

"Can he read minds, too?"

"You know, if you want to see me naked, all you have to do is ask."

"No. That, he can't do." Elena said.

"He is very capable of being a first rate jackass." Buffy said.

"Any luck?" Damon asked.

"There's nothing in here about Katherine that we didn't already know." "Elena said.

"Ah, man. You know, it's a bummer we're not friends anymore. Because I can tell you what I know."

"Now who's manipulating who?"

"Hey, guys. Check this out." Alaric said.

"There's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls. But here are some records of some of the lesser known legends. Everything from Scandinavian Skinwalkers to the Marshoulder Rats. 'The curse of the sun and moon.'" Vanessa said, pointing to a certain page.

"It's Native American." Alaric said.

"Aztec. It explains one origin of the werewolf curse traced through Virginia. The short story... 600 years ago, the Aztecs were plagued by werewolves and vampires. They terrorized the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible. Until an Aztec shaman cursed them, making vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon. As a result, vampires could only prowl at night, and werewolves could only turn on a full moon. When the full moon crests in the sky, whosever unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf."

"Can they control the transformation?" Damon asked.

"No." Buffy said.

"If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse. Werewolves will attack humans. But instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice..."

"Vampires." Buffy said.

"Right. Vampires."

"Well... If werewolves are hunting vampires, I would know about it." Damon said.

"Not if there aren't that many werewolves left alive. Hundreds of years ago, vampires hunted them almost to extinction."

"Why would they do that?" Elena asked.

"Protection. They did it to protect themselves." Buffy said.

"Legend has it that a werewolf bite is fatel to vampires."

"Ooh." Damon said.

* * *

"Hey. Have you done any research on doppelgangers?" Elena asked.

"Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures. But typically a doppelganger is a living, breathing double of oneself."

"Did Isobel have anything that's explain the link between me and Katherine?"

"That's all she had on Katherine, unfortunately. But I can tell you that doppelgangers usually torment the people they look like, trying to undo their lives. It's not exactly uplifting."

"And more things we already knew. Just... I want to know why we look alike."

"Head-scatcher, isn't it?" Damon asked.

"Do you know something or are you just being yourself?"

"Well, 'if' I know anything, I'm not going to tell you, not with that attitude."

"That's good, Damon. And this is coming from someone who wants to be my friend. But you know what? Friends don't manipulate friends. They help each other." Elena said, walking out of the room.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked over to Alaric's SUV. Elena was waiting on them. "You didn't dig deep enough." Damon said, handing a book to Elena.

"Petrova. I saw this on the shelf." Elena said.

"Katherine originally came from Europe. Petrova was her real name. Katharina Petrova to be exact."

"How did you know that?"

"Back when, I saw it engraved on an old heirloom. Men snoop, too, you know. Let me know what you find. Very curious myself."

"Thank you for the book, Damon."

Once everyone was in the car, Alaric turned to look at Buffy. "So, Buffy, You know about our families. What about yours?"

"What about mine?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I mean, we don't really know that much about you. Tell us something."

"There's not much to tell. Really."

"Come on. Give us something. Parents? Siblings?"

"Uh, I had a sister named Faith. She was a year older than me. She died during child-birth. I had another sister, Dawn. She passed away when she was only 3. Pneumonia. My mother died when I was 16. My father passed away not long after that."

"What was your mother like?" Elena asked.

Buffy got a wistful smile on her face. "She was kind. And warm, and loving. I loved my mother. So very much. Everyone loved her. She had the most amazing smile. It could light up any room. And her voice... Always so calming. She loved to cook. Even though my father said ' A woman of money and title should not cook. That's the servants job.' She was wonderful."

 _ ***Flashback***_

"Mother, do you think I'm pretty?" Eight year old Buffy asked.

"I think you are beautiful. You and your sister are the most beautiful little girls in all the land. Why do you ask?"

"There's a boy. In town. He said that I was ugly. He said that my legs were far too skinny."

"He is just a little boy, darling. Boys often say things that they don't mean."

 _ ***End Flashback***_

"And your dad?" Alaric asked.

Buffy's face immediately hardened. "My father was a cold, abusive bastard. Let's just leave it at that."

* * *

Later that night, Buffy was sitting in the library, drinking. Damon walked in and looked at her. "Are you ok?"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

Damon sighed. "Don't be like that. Not with me. I know talking about your family... I know that it brought some things up. Feelings. You can talk to me, Buffy."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Damon." Buffy sighed. "My father... He was a dick. An ass. A bastard. He was cold and cruel and abusive. I hated him. And he hated me. Faith was his favorite. He doted on her. Always buying her gifts and taking her places..."

"But not you."

"No. Not me. He truly hated me."

 _ ***Flashback***_

"Oh, Buffy! What has he done?" Faith gasped.

Buffy was lying on her stomach, her back bare. There were dozens of cuts and bruises marking her back. The cuts were angry and red, blood oozing out of them. The bruises were black and purple. "Faith. Please. Don't tell Mother." Buffy begged.

"Why does he treat you this way?"

"He hates me. I don't understand it. But he does." Buffy cried.

"Shh. Buffy. I'll take care of you. It's all right, Sister."

 _ ***End Flashback***_

"Good thing about being a vampire... All of your scars heal. Your skin becomes new. A fresh canvas." Buffy said.

* * *

 _ ***Let me know what you guys think! Thanks for reading! :)***_


	21. Friends?

_***Flashback***_

"Let's run far away from here." Buffy said.

"But where would we go?" Faith asked.

"Anywhere. Everywhere."

"Ah, Buffy. You know we cannot."

"I hate it here, Faith. Father has become most disconsolate. It has gotten worse. Nothing I do pleases him."

"It will get better, Buffy. I know it will."

"I am not so sure, dear sister."

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

"Katherine's where?!" Buffy asked.

"She's in the basement. She's chained up in the basement, to be exact." Stefan said.

"So... Hold on. Let me get this straight. She came here, tried to get all touchy feely with you, and you... you staked her in the back with a vervain dart?"

Stefan nodded his head. "Uh huh."

"Wow."

"I have questions. Katherine has answers."

"All right. So you're gonna, what? Interrogate her?"

"Actually, yes. Wanna be my muscle?"

Buffy grinned. "Absolutely."

* * *

Buffy and Stefan walked downstairs to the basement. They walked into the cell where Katherine was chained to a chair. Buffy looked at Katherine and grinned a preditory grin. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Let your guard down, huh?"

"What the hell is she doing here?" Katherine groaned out.

"I'm here to make sure that you behave yourself."

"Now, where were we?" Stefan asked. "Oh, that's right. You were gonna tell me why you came back to Mystic Falls, weren't you?"

"You didn't have to do this." Katherine said, pulling on her chains.

"Answer the question."

"I came back for you."

"We're gonna play by my rules now." Stefan put on a pair of gloves and grabbed a vervain flower.

"What are you doing?"

Stefan pressed the vervain against Katherine's face. Katherine started screaming in pain. Stefan pulled the vervain away. "Answer the question."

"You're going to torture me now?"

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to get you to tell me the truth."

"At the first Founder's ball..."

"No. I don't wanna hear anymore stories about the past."

"Yes you do, Stefan. That's exactly what you want to hear. I told George Lockwood what I was and I let him know that I knew what he was."

"Why didn't he alert the Council? Take you out first." Buffy said.

"Because he wanted something." Katherine said.

"What did he want?" Stefan asked. Katherine remained silent. "You know, we can sit here as long as you want."

"Yeah. I mean, we've only got... Forever." Buffy said. "And when you start to desiccate, there's a tomb with your name on it."

"I've been doing all the talking." Katherine said.

"Well... Yeah. That's usually what happens during an interrigation."

Katherine rolled her eyes and looked at Stefan. "It's your turn. Do you pretend to be human when you're with Elena? Is that the appeal?"

"Actually, I don't pretend to be anything when I'm with her. That's the whole point. I get to just be myself."

"Does she know that you love me?"

"I don't."

"That's where you're wrong, Stefan. Don't you remember bringing me home that night? You're family had taken me in. You told me that you loved me. Go ahead, Stefan. Torture me, keep me captive, drain me of blood until my body turns to dust. It'll never change the truth. I never compelled your love. It was real. And so was mine."

Stefan sat quietly, staring at the floor. "Stefan. Are you ok?" Buffy asked.

"Hearing the truth after a century and a half of denial must be overwhelming." Katherine said.

"Shut up." Buffy snapped.

"It wasn't real. I remember you compelling me." Stefan whispered.

"Only after I showed you who I really was. You were so scared of me. I had to take away your fear."

"Well, whatever feelings I had back then... They've all turned to hate."

"Love, hate. Such a fine line. I can wait. Anyway, George Lockwood was causing all sorts of trouble. He used the vampires to cover up his own tracks. He told the founding families about us. But he was willing to strike a deal."

"What kind of a deal?" Buffy asked.

"A deal to rid the town of vampires."

"You knew that they were going to burn the vampires in the church?" Stefan asked incredulously.

"I practically lit the match."

"They were your friends. They were your family. You just sold them out?"

"Without blinking."

"What did George get in return for giving you your freedom?"

"Something he wanted desperately."

"So you sent 26 of your friends to their death just to fake your own?"

"No. No. You were running from something." Buffy said.

"What was it?" Stefan asked.

"Everyone has a past, Stefan. Mine needed to stay far, far away. I guess me and Buffy have that in common. But thanks to you, my plan nearly failed before it even began. Once George told me that the roundup was imminent, I made sure I could see you one last time. But your father used your love for me against you. He poisoned your blood. Then Damon, being Damon, nearly ruined everything."

"We came for you. We tried to save you."

"I didn't want to be saved."

"So then Damon and I died for nothing. For nothing!"

"No, Stefan. You died for love!"

"Wow. You really are a manipulative bitch." Buffy said.

"Why are you even here? This has nothing to do with you."

"So you going to tell me why you came back here? Or were you just playing another game?" Stefan asked.

"Have you not heard a word that I've said? I've answered that question five times over now."

"All right, good. Make it six."

"I want what I want, Stefan. And I don't care what I have to do to get it. My list of victims is a long one. And I have no problem adding one more name to that list."

"Come on, Katherine. If you wanted Elena dead, you would have done it by now."

"I still can. If I have to, I will snap her neck like a twig. And you know it." Stefan broke off a leg of a chair and held it over Katherine's heart. After a few moments he backed away and dropped the makeshift stake. "Guess you don't hate me as much as you thought you did. I don't want you seeing Elena anymore. If you don't remove her from your life, I will kill everyone that she loves while she watches, and then I will kill her while you watch."

Buffy grabbed Katherine's neck and slammed her back against the wall. "Don't you ever think for one moment that I will not kill you. I don't like you. I'm a lot older and stronger. I will overpower you."

"And why are you so strong, Buffy?" Katherine chocked out.

"Because I'm older."

"Is it? Is it because you're older? Or could it be something else? Something in your blood perhaps?"

"You don't know anything." Buffy growled.

"I know more than you think."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"Think what you want."

The front door opened and closed. "Hello? Stefan." Elena called out.

Stefan looked at Buffy and then at Katherine. "I'll go." Buffy said. "Watch her." Buffy called out as she exited the room.

* * *

Buffy walked into the living-room. "Elena, hey."

Elena jumped in surprise and turned around. "Buffy. Hey. You scared me."

"Sorry. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was looking for Stefan. He was supposed to meet me and he never showed. I tried calling him, but he's not answering his phone."

"He's busy. You should come back later."

"Is everything ok?"

"Fine. Why?"

"You seem... I don't know. Are you sure everything's ok? Is something wrong? Did something happen to Stefan? Is he hurt?"

"Everything's fine. Stefan's fine. Really, Elena."

"Buffy. Tell me the truth."

"I just did. You should go. Now. Stefan will call you later."

"Buffy... What..."

"You must be Elena."

"How did you get out?" Buffy asked, as she kept her eyes on Elena.

"How is this possible? How do we look exactly alike?" Elena asked.

"You're asking the wrong questions." Katherine said.

"Katherine..." Buffy warned.

"Relax, Buffy."

"Elena." Stefan said, as he ran into the room. "Are you ok?"

Elena look around the room. "She's gone." Buffy said.

* * *

"You look like shit." Buffy said, as Damon walked into the library later that night.

"Gee, thanks." Damon replied.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I tried to kill a werewolf and failed. Now I feel like I'm not living up to my best self."

"Ah. The silver thing didn't work, huh?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think it would."

"Well, you could've told me that. You know, before I did it."

"Like you would have listened."

"Well... You could've tried to make me listen."

"Yeah? And how would I have done that?"

"You could've told me while you were naked."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah. 'Cause I'm sure my words are what you would have been focused on."

"You never know. I'm a great listener." Damon smirked.

"I'm sure." Buffy stood up and started to walk out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"Bed. I've had an incredibly long day."

"I had a bad day. I thought..." Damon pouted.

"You thought, what?"

"I thought that you could help make it better."

"Damon..." Buffy sighed.

"Come on. At least have a drink with me."

"I don't know."

"Please."

"Fine. Ok. One drink."

* * *

 _ ***Thanks for reading! Let me know what you guys think! =)***_


	22. The Sheriff and The Werewolf?

***Some people have commented on how the Buffy in my story is out of character. Keep in mind that this Buffy is a vampire. Also, she has never been a slayer, because slayers don't exist in this story. So some of the character traits that would have been there because of her being the slayer, are no longer there.***

* * *

"Stefan." Buffy called out, as he was about to walk out the front door.

"Buffy, hey. Do you need a ride?" Stefan asked.

"What?"

"Do you need a ride? To the picnic... Caroline asked you to sign up... any of this ringing any bells?"

"Oh, right! I totally forgot about that. Uh, yeah, yes, I do need a ride. But first, we need to talk."

"About...?"

"Damon."

"Right. Figures. What'd he do this time?"

"He tried to kill Mason Lockwood."

"What?"

"Yup. So we need to do something."

"You're right. Mason will want revenge."

"Exactly. So... What do you want to do?"

"Let's talk to him first. He should be at the picnic."

"All right."

* * *

"Hey." Buffy said, causing Stefan to stop and look at her. "There's Mason." Buffy pointed out.

Stefan nodded his head. "Let's go."

As Buffy and Stefan approached, Mason turned and noticed them. "Stefan, right? The other Salvatore."

"The nice one. The one offering an apology. And this is Buffy Summers, a friend of the family." Stefan said.

"Nice to meet you, Buffy." Mason said.

"You too, I hope." Buffy replied.

"As for the apology... Not interested."

"Look, my brother acted impulsively." Stefan said.

"You think?"

"If you and Damon keep at each other's throats, somebody innocent is going to get hurt, and we don't want that." Stefan gestured between Buffy and himself. "And you have family here, so I can't imagine you'd want that, either. So what do you say we just quit the whole alpha male fighting thing, and just call it a truce."

"I made that same offer to your brother. He turned it down. With a knife."

"He made a mistake."

"Yeah. A big mistake. We're here to make sure that neither one of you make another one. We want peace. Ok?" Buffy said.

"Tell your brother to watch his back." Mason snapped. Buffy reached out and grabbed Mason by one of his arms, causing him to stop and look at her. "What the..." Mason started.

"Well, I'm guessing that he only has to worry about that during a full moon. Otherwise, you're not as strong. Am I right?" Stefan asked.

"Right. Or you would have killed Damon by now. Listen up, Mason. There's one of you. There's three of us. I'm a whole lot stronger than Damon. So, I think you're the one who needs to watch his back. 'Cause unlike you, we don't have to wait for a full moon. Just something for you to think about." Buffy said, as she let go of his arm.

"If he comes at me..."

"He won't." Stefan said, assuringly.

Mason nodded and walked away.

"What are you two doing?" Damon asked, as he suddenly appeared behind them.

"Oh, nothing. Just negotiating peace on your behalf. Right, Stefan?" Buffy said flippantly.

"Right." Stefan nodded in agreement.

"I don't want peace." Damon whined.

"Oh. Consider it opposite day." Stefan said.

"Please tell me that you two don't seriously think a hand shake just solved our problem."

"Nope." Stefan said.

"Not at all." Buffy replied, shaking her head.

"No, actually, I think that the first chance Mason Lockwood gets, he's going to drive a stake through your heart, and then through mine... All because you took it upon yourself to try to kill him. So thank you, 'cause we don't have enough problems."

"What about Buffy?" Damon asked.

"What about me?"

"Why don't you get a stake through the heart?"

"Because, she let Mason know that she's stronger than either of us." Stefan explained.

"So?"

"So... I think he might actually be afraid of her."

Damon looked over at Buffy, who was grinning triumphantly. "Well... Lucky you."

* * *

Buffy walked up to Damon. "Something's up."

"What do you mean?" Damon asked.

"I just saw Mason Lockwood talking with Sheriff Forbes."

"Do you think she knows?"

"I don't know. But, If I were Mason... Eww. Nevermind."

Damon smiled at her. "Bad thoughts?"

"Yes. Anyway, I'm betting he said something."

"Let's go find out." Damon said, as he started walking towards the Sheriff, Buffy trailed behind him.

Liz looked up as Damon and Buffy stopped in front of her. "Oh. Damon. Buffy. Hey."

"Hey, I saw you with Mason earlier. What was that about?" Damon asked.

"Oh, I was just asking him to help with the clean-up in the woods."

"Well, that's what we're here for. Put us to work."

"Should we go help him?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, no, no. You know what? He's... I'm sure he's fine."

"You ok, Liz? You seem really upset." Damon said.

"It's Caroline. We had a moment."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No, Damon, thank you. It's just horrible parenting skills paying off in spades." Liz commented as she walked away.

"She knows." Damon said.

"Yup. What are we going to do?"

"I'm not sure."

* * *

"Hello, Mason." Damon said, as he and Buffy walked up behind him. "Working hard?"

"Doing my part." Mason said.

"I heard you talked to Stefan."

"Nice guy."

"Yeah. A lot nicer than me."

"Well, nice is overrated."

"That's what I think. Heh."

"You have a good day, Damon, Buffy."

"Am I the only one who thought that was weird?" Buffy asked.

"Nope."

"Please tell me that you were just bonding." Stefan said, as he appeared.

"So what's up with this, um, faux drama in your relationship?" Damon asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on, Stefan. You and Elena don't fight, especially not over me."

"Drop it, Damon."

"With pleasure."

"Would you like some lemonade?" A little girl asked Damon.

"Thank you, sweetie." Damon smiled, as he took the glass. He raised the glass to his lips and took a few sips. Suddenly he spit the drink out and fell to his knees, coughing and gasping.

"What's wrong with you?" Stefan asked.

"Vervain. Vervain." Damon gasped.

"Here. Drink this." Buffy said, handing Damon a bottle of water. "Well, I'll give Mason points for creativity. Spiking the lemonade. Smart."

Damon grabbed the bottle and drank. He swished the water around in his mouth and then he spit it out. "I'm gonna kill him."

"No, no. Hey. Listen to me. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit!" Stefan pushed Damon down onto a bench.

"I'm not listening to any more of your give peace a chance crap. He's dead."

"Ok. I don't like it, but he's making threats. He could expose us. We need to put him down."

"All right. Let's do it."

Buffy noticed Mason walking towards the woods. "The woods. Mason's on trash duty. Come on." Buffy said.

* * *

Buffy, Damon and Stefan spread out to form a triangle around Mason. "Don't look so surprised." Damon said. "You knew this was inevitable. Go ahead. Run. We'll give you a head start."

Mason bent down just in time for someone to shoot Buffy. More shots rang out, hitting Damon and Stefan. As Damon and Stefan fell down, eight more bullets hit Buffy, and she too, fell to the ground. Liz and a few deputies ran up with their guns trained on the vampires. "Thank you, Mason." Liz said, as she injected Damon and Stefan with vervain.

"She's stronger." Mason pointed to Buffy, who was getting to her knees. Liz walked over and kicked Buffy in the face, causing her to fall back to the ground.

"Liz... Please... Don't." Buffy pleaded.

Liz pulled out a syringe of vervain and injected it into Buffy. She then pulled out two more filled with vervain and injected Buffy with those as well. Buffy's eyes fluttered, as her vision became blurry, and then, the world went dark.

* * *

Liz, the deputies and Mason, carried Buffy, Stefan and Damon down into the old Lockwood's estate ruins. "It's down the stairs to the left." Mason directed.

"Careful." Liz said. "The wooden bullets and vervain won't keep them down for long. What is this place?"

"Old slave quarters from the original Lockwood house." Mason said, as he and the deputies dropped Buffy, Stefan and Damon onto the floor of an old cellar.

"Thank you, Mason. I appreciate all you've done. We've got it from here."

"Hey, you're gonna kill them, right?"

"Yes. That's why you should go. Here it's the Council, not the law. You can't be a party to this. It's for your own protection."

"Liz, I don't care about..."

"Yes, but I do, and I'm not asking. Goodbye, Mason."

"Don't take any chances." Mason said, walking out.

A few minutes later, Damon wakes up and Liz shoots him in the leg. Damon screams in pain. "This is how it's gonna work. Answer me, and you don't get shot. Understand?" Liz said. "How many of you are there?"

"Liz, Please..." Damon started. Liz shot him again, his screams of pain bring Buffy around.

"How did you fool us? How do you walk in the sun?" When Damon didn't answer, she shot Stefan in the chest. "I will drag this out painfully."

"But you're my friend."

"Our friendship was a lie. Answer me, and I'll kill you fast."

Buffy rolled onto her side. She started to cough up blood. She looked beside of her. "Damon..."

Damon rolled his head to the side, looking at Buffy.

"He's not going to tell us anything. Kill them all. Let's do this. Each with a stake in the heart, then burn them." A gate creaked somewhere behind them. "Check it out." One of the deputies went to investigate the noise. Elena hit him over the head with a wooden board and then ran into the room. "Elena! What are you doing?"

"You can't kill them." Elena said. "I'm not going to let you." The deputy Elena had hit walked up behind her and pushed her further into the room.

The door to the cellar slammed shut. "What was that?" One of the deputies asked.

"Who else is with you?" Liz asked Elena.

Buffy watched as Caroline moved around the room. She moved fast, distracting Liz and the deputies. She grabbed one of the deputies and sank her teeth into his neck. The second deputy began firing, Caroline jumped behind the deputy she was holding, using him as a human shield. Caroline threw the deputy aside and rushed the shooting deputy. She backhanded him, causing him to fall to the floor. He fell next to Buffy. Buffy grabbed onto him, weakly, and sank her teeth into his neck. Caroline moved out of the shadows, her face covered in blood. "Hi, mom."

* * *

"Here." Buffy pushed the deputy she had been feeding on, towards Damon. "You need some." Damon nodded and sank his teeth into Buffy's bite mark on the deputy's neck. Buffy turned her attention to Stefan. "Now you. You need some deputy blood also."

"Oh, no. I'll be fine. It's going to take a little bit longer." Stefan grunted.

"Buffy's right, you know." Caroline said. "If there's ever a time to break your diet..."

"He said he didn't want it, ok?" Elena said.

Damon stood up and held out his hand to Buffy. "Do you need some help?"

Buffy shook her head as she stood up. "Nah. I'm good. All healed up."

"This is a most unfortunate situation." Damon said. "Two deputies dead. And you." He looked at Liz. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Caroline asked. "Mom? Mom? Please! Look, I know that we don't get along and that you hate me, but I'm your daughter. And you'll do this for me, right? Mom, please. He will kill you."

"Then kill me." Liz said.

"No."

"I can't take this. Kill me now."

Damon walked over to Liz and bent down. "But you were going to drag it out so painfully."

"No, no, no, no!" Caroline screamed.

"Damon, don't!" Stefan screamed.

"Damon, please!" Elena begged.

"Damon, you can't kill her. She's Caroline's mom." Buffy said.

"Relax, guys. No one's killing anybody." Damon looked at Liz. "You're my friend." He looked around at the deputies and all of the blood. He sighed. "We got to clean this up."

* * *

Buffy stood with Damon, they watched as Liz talked on her cell phone. "A stomach bug. Yeah. It came on fast. I'll definitely be out tomorrow..." Damon made a noise. "Or longer. I'll text you. Yeah. Good night." Liz hung up and gave the phone to Damon.

"Thank you." Damon said. "It's not exactly the Ritz, but it's secure. I brought you a good thread count, and once the vervain's worked it's way out of your system, I will compel you to forget everything, and you will be a free woman."

Caroline walked up to the door with a suitcase for her mother. "Keep Caroline away from me, please. I don't want to see her." Liz said.

"She's your daughter, Liz."

"Not anymore. My daughter's gone."

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that." Buffy said. "You're so very wrong."

* * *

Damon walked into Buffy's room. "Hey. Are you ok?"

Buffy looked up from her position on the bed. "Fine. Why do you ask?"

"The way you acted down there... With Liz. Buffy, you can talk to me." Damon sat down on the bed.

"I lied to you."

"You lied to me? What do you mean you lied? You lied about what?"

"About my sister. I told you that Faith died a year before I was turned."

"I remember."

"I lied. She... She didn't... She died a year after I was turned."

Realization dawned on Damon. "She reacted like Liz."

"Worse."

"Buffy... I'm so sorry."

"I lied to you, and you're the one whose sorry?"

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that. And I understand why you lied."

Buffy leaned over and softly kissed Damon. "Thank you."

Damon smiled. "Anytime."

* * *

 _ ***Let me know what you guys think! Thanks for reading! Also, let me know if you guys like me writing like this...or like I was, with the bolding of the speech and regular on everything else. Thanks again =)***_


	23. The Moon Stone

"Hey, Buffy." Stefan said, as he spotted her, unpacking wine glasses outside the Lockwood home.

Buffy glanced up. "Oh, hey."

"Where's Damon?"

"He's still at the house. He said that he might swing by later."

Just then, Mason Lockwood walked by them. "Hey, Stefan. Hey, Buffy."

"Hi, Mason." Stefan said.

"Hello, Mason." Buffy replied.

"Wasn't expecting you two here. Or anywhere." Mason said, nervously.

Buffy grinned. "Yeah, we had this little accident. But we're fine now. Right, Stefan?"

"Mm-hmm." Stefan agreed.

"What did you do to Sheriff Forbes?"

"Oh, she's fine, too. Don't you worry. I mean, it's not like we ate her, or anything. But from now on, you'll have to do your own dirty work." Buffy said, grinning smugly.

"Not a problem." Mason said, as he walked away. As Mason was walking away, he bumped into Bonnie. Bonnie paused and she had a confused look on her face.

Stefan noticed this. "What's the matter? Are you ok?"

"When I touched him, I saw something."

"What do you mean, like a vision?"

"I saw Elena."

"You saw Elena?"

"He was kissing her."

"No, Bonnie. Elena wouldn't kiss..."

"No, Elena wouldn't. But someone else would." Buffy said. "You didn't see Elena, you saw..."

"Katherine." Stefan finished.

* * *

"Katherine's with Mason Lockwood?" Damon asked.

"We missed it. He got into town right after she did. It makes perfect sense." Stefan explained.

"I know, but Mason Lockwood?! Werewolf thing aside, the guy's a surfer."

"Could you sound anymore like a jealous ex right now?" Buffy asked.

Damon rolled his eyes. "She's gotta be using him. She has to be."

"Using him for what?" Stefan asked.

"Mason Lockwood's looking for a moon stone that allegedly can break the full moon werewolf curse. Maybe Katherine wants it as well."

"Why?"

"Well... No idea. It's the beauty of Katherine. She's always up to something."

"So... Here's a question. How are we going to find this moon stone?" Buffy asked.

"Jeremy's getting it from Tyler." Damon replied, casually.

"Why would you involve Jeremy?" Stefan asked.

"He's playing Indiana Jones. He involved himself."

* * *

"Ok. Ok. This is as far as I go." Bonnie said, as Buffy pulled her away from the crowd.

"That's why I stopped." Buffy said, rolling her eyes. " If I didn't want to stop here I could've forced you to keep going."

"What do you want?" Bonnie asked, looking from Buffy to Damon.

"A favor."

"Like that's going to happen."

"So predictable." Damon rolled his eyes.

"That's why we brought him." Buffy pointed to Stefan.

"I know how you feel about helping us out, but since you're the one that linked Mason with Katherine, we finally have an opportunity to get an upper hand on both of them, so just hear us out." Stefan said.

"Pretty please." Damon begged, sarcastically.

"I'm listening."

Just then, Stefan's cell phone started to ring."I have to fill Elena in on what's going on. Can you two play nice, please?" Stefan said, looking at Damon and Buffy.

"I guess." Damon mumbled, as Stefan walked away. "All you have to do is touch Mason Lockwood again, see if he gave Katherine the moon stone."

"My visions don't work like that. I don't get to ask questions."

"How inconvenient." Buffy grumbled.

"Although... Let's talk about that little witchy juju thing you do with me. You know, the fun one where my brain bursts into flames? What is that?"

"That's me giving you an aneurism. Your blood vessels go pop. But you heal quickly, so I do it over and over again."

"Is it vampire- specific?" Buffy asked.

"It'd work on anyone with a supernatural healing ability."

"Good. Good, good."

"What are you thinking?" Damon asked.

"Really? Think, Damon. Think really hard."

"Oh! Mason. Of course."

"No." Bonnie said.

"No? No, what?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not going to help you hurt him."

"Mason Lockwood's a werewolf. Katherine's evil. They're the bad guys. Really? You're going to play morality police with us right now? Let me put it to you another way... They're a threat to Elena. So you, Witch, are going to get over yourself and help us."

"Yeah, she meant that as a question with a please on the end." Stefan said, as he walked back over to them.

"Absolutely."

* * *

"Here's his bag." Bonnie said. "As requested."

Damon dropped an unconscious Mason down onto a chair in the library. "Ok, grab that corner."

"Why are we doing this?"

"Because I don't want to stain the carpet."

"I knew you were going to say something like that."

"Judging again." Buffy called out, as she walked into the room.

"He's not going to be out much longer."

"Whoa. Looks like this guy's used to being tied up." Damon said, as he pulled out a set of chains from Mason's bag.

Bonnie placed her hands on either side of Mason's head. "What are you doing?" Buffy asked.

"You're looking for a moon stone. I'm trying to help you find it."

"Oh, good, yeah. Find out if he gave it to Katherine, and find out where she is. And find out what they're going to do with it once they get it." Damon said.

"It's somewhere small. Dark. There's water."

"Like a sewer?"

"No. Like a well? That can't be right. Yeah. It's a well."

"Why would it be in a well?"

"I told you, I only get what I get." Just then, Mason's hand shot out and grabbed ahold of Bonnie's arm. Buffy pulled his hand off of Bonnie. "That's it. That's all I got."

"Hey, Judgey." Damon called out, as Bonnie was leaving. Bonnie paused and turned around. "Thank you." Damon turned his attention back towards Mason. "Come on. Wake up, wolf boy." Damon said, as he slapped Mason across the face. Mason woke up and started struggling against his chains. "Ooh. Someone's feisty."

Damon walked over to the fireplace and started to heat up a poker. Upon seeing this, Mason's struggles became more frantic and panicked, causing him to fall back onto the floor. Damon walked over and looked down at him. "What?!" Mason screamed. Damon took the hot poker and pressed it against Mason's chest. As Mason's flesh began to sizzle, he cried out in pain. "Damn it!"

"You can hurt. Good to know." Damon said, as he removed the poker. "I was afraid you were going to be some beast master with no affinity for pain." He reached down and pulled the neckline of Mason's shirt to the side, inspecting the wound. "Oh, but you heal quickly. Not good. Guess I'll just have to keep applying pain." Damon grabbed ahold of Mason's chains and pulled him and the chair upright. He then walked back over to the fireplace and started heating the poker again.

"Soo..." Buffy started. "Katherine. How do you know her? What's she up to?" Mason spat on the ground in front of her. "We have all day, you know." She said.

Damon walked back over to Mason and stuck the poker into his gut. "When did you two meet? Did she seduce you, tell you she loved you? You're supernatural so she can't compel you. I'm sure she used her other charms. Katherine's good that way." Just then, Jeremy walked into the room carrying a box. "I thought I told you to leave."

"I found something in Ric's box of stuff." Jeremy said.

"Ooh. What is it?"

"Um, I did a search on my phone. It's a plant. Aconitum Vulparia."

"Aco... Whata?" Buffy asked, confused.

Jeremy laughed. "Aconitum Vulparia. It grows in the mountainous areas of the northern hemisphere, commonly known as aconite, blue rocket and wolfsbane."

"Wolfsbane?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

"What else did you read?" Damon asked.

"Well, every source says something different. One myth says it causes lycanthropy, which sounds bogus. And the other one says that it protects people, and another one says, well, it's toxic."

Mason whimpered. "I'm guessing toxic." Damon grabbed the wolfsbane and walked towards Mason. "What's Katherine doing in Mystic Falls?" Mason remained silent. Damon shrugged and pressed the wolfsbane against Mason's cheek. Mason groaned in pain. "Why is she here?" Damon asked, as he removed the wolfsbane.

"She's here with me." Mason answered. "Why do you ask, you jealous?"

"How rude of me. You know, I just realized I didn't offer you anything to eat." Suddenly, Damon shoved the wolfsbane into Mason's mouth. "Yummy." Mason coughed and gagged and spat the wolfsbane out. "Why do you want the moon stone?"

"Screw you!"

"Eeh!" Damon said, making a buzzer sound. "Wrong answer."

"If he was going to say anything, he would have already." Jeremy said.

"I'm taking your eyes now."

"The well!" Mason said. "You can find it there."

"We know where it is." Buffy said. "We want to know what it does. And we want to know why you want it."

"I'm getting it for Katherine."

"What would Katherine want with it?"

"She's going to use it to lift the curse."

"Of the moon? Seriously?"

"Now, why would a vampire help a werewolf break a curse that keeps them from turning whenever they want?" Damon asked.

"So I wouldn't have to turn anymore."

"Why?"

"Because she loves me."

"Aww." Damon started to laugh. "Now... Now I get it. You're just stupid. Katherine doesn't love you. She's using you, you moron."

"I'm done talking."

"Yes, you are."

"Jeremy, maybe you should leave." Buffy suggested.

"No. I'm staying."

"It's time to take a walk, Jeremy." Damon said.

"I'm staying." Jeremy said, more forcefully this time.

"No, you should go."

"I'm staying, Damon, he's had enough."

"Just help Tyler. Don't let this happen to him." Mason said to Jeremy.

"Damon..." Jeremy started.

Damon rushed towards Jeremy, pinning him down on the couch by his neck."You wanted to be apart of this? Well, here it is. Kill or be killed. The guy's a werewolf. He'd kill me and Buffy the first chance he got! So you suck it up, or leave." Damon let go of Jeremy and moved back towards Mason. "He wants me to kill him, anyway. Don't you, Mason? It really is a curse, isn't it?"

"Jeremy..." Buffy said. "Just go."

"How can you let him do this, Buffy?" Jeremy asked, angrily.

"Because he's right. If we let Mason go, he'll just try to kill us. Him and Katherine. He's already tried it once. We can't risk it."

"But..."

"Leave, Jeremy. Now." Jeremy grabbed his stuff, and stormed out of the house.

"You know, I look at you, and I see myself." Damon said, looking at Mason. "A less dashing, less intelligent version."

"I love her." Mason groaned out.

"Oh. I know! I've been where you are. But Katherine will only rip your heart out. Let me do it for her." Damon shoved his hand inside of Mason's chest and grabbed ahold of his heart. He held onto it for a few moments, and as he looked Mason in the eyes, he ripped it out.

"Well..." Buffy started. "Way to be poetic."

* * *

As Damon and Buffy were wrapping Mason's body up in a tarp, Stefan walked into the room and held up the moon stone. "All this for that?" Damon asked.

"Yep." Stefan said, nodding. "I see you've exercised your usual restraint." He commented, as he looked down at the body.

"Had to be done." Damon reached down and picked up Mason's cell phone. He began typing. "Carol... Big opportunity in Florida, gonna be gone... For a long time. I'll send for my things once I get settled. Much love, Mason."

"Let's get rid of the body, Buffy, wanna help me out here?"

"Nope." Buffy said, shaking her head. "I was raised to believe that the men handle the dead bodies and the women have the babies. I'm just old fashioned that way." She shrugged.

"Cute." Stefan said, shaking his head.

"Ooh." Damon commented. "Last number dialed. I wonder who that could possibly be?"

"No, no, no, don't provoke her."

Stefan ran towards Damon and tried to get the phone away from him, but it was too late. The line started to ring. "Mason." Katherine said on the other end. "You should have been here an hour ago."

"Wrong boy toy." Damon said, smiling.

"Damon. For once, you've surprised me. I assume Mason's with you."

"He's right beside me. Although his heart's across the room."

"You shouldn't have."

"I've had a very busy day today. Killed a werewolf, found a moon stone. Hey, did you know that he hid the moon stone in a bottom of a well full of vervain? Guess he didn't trust you very much. Although he did love you. Poor guy. Hey, where are you, 'cause, you know, I could bring him over. Last good-byes and all that."

"You have no idea what you've done."

"Aww, did I put a kink in your master plan? I'm so sorry."

"Do you honestly believe that I don't have a plan 'B'? And if that fails, a plan 'C', then a plan 'D', and... You know how the alphabet works, don't you? Send my love to Stefan." And with that, Katherine hung up.

* * *

Later that night, Elena walked into the house. Buffy ran up to her. "Elena. I heard about Jenna. I'm so sorry."

Elena nodded her head. "Thank you, Buffy. She's going to be ok."

"Is there anything... Can I do anything?"

"Is Stefan here?"

"Yeah. He's in the library."

"Thanks." Elena walked off. Buffy stayed where she was.

"I'm so sorry." Stefan said.

"We were stupid. Sneaking around, thinking that we weren't going to get caught."

"I know."

"We did this. Stefan, Jenna's in the hospital, and Jeremy could be next. All because we didn't... We didn't listen to her."

"What are you doing?" Damon asked, as he spotted Buffy.

"Shh." Buffy said, putting her finger up to her lips. She pointed to her ears and then to the library. Damon nodded his head in understanding.

"Because... Because we're together." Elena said. "Stefan..."

"I know what you're going to say."

"Then let me say it. I've been so selfish because I love you so much. And I know how much you love me. But it's over. Stefan, it has to be."

"Elena, I don't..."

"Don't, Stefan. It has to be."

"I did this." Damon whispered to Buffy.

"Damon... No." Buffy whispered, shaking her head.

Elena walked past them, towards the door. "Elena..." Damon called out, stopping her. Elena paused and turned around to face him. "I riled Katherine up. I... I wasn't thinking. I didn't think."

"It doesn't matter, Damon." Elena said. "She won. Katherine won. Buffy... Would you... Would you stay at my house tonight?"

"Sure." Buffy nodded.

"Thank you."

* * *

 _ ***Let me know what you guys think! There will be some Buffyverse characters appearing soon! Thank's for reading, and I hope you guy's enjoyed it. =)***_


	24. Where You Should Have Been All Along

"Ok. We're here." Buffy said, as she walked into the library.

"What happened?" Stefan asked, entering after Buffy.

"Go ahead, tell them." Damon said. "You're gonna love this."

"I saw Katherine today." Caroline said.

"Where?" Buffy and Stefan asked, simultaneously.

"At the Grill. I just stopped by to gawk and... Quasi-stalk Matt."

"Skip the teen drama and get to it." Damon said, rolling his eyes.

"I had to pretend to use the bathroom even though I didn't really have to go, 'cause I'm a dufus. Katherine came in while I was washing my hands. I acted like I thought that she was Elena. I tried to rush past her, but she blocked the door."

"Then what happened?" Buffy asked.

"She said that she wanted me to deliver a message."

"What was the message?" Stefan asked.

"She said, 'Tell Damon, Stefan and that bitch Buffy, that I want the moonstone or I will rip this town apart until it rains blood."

Damon smirked. "Tell them the rest of it."

"She wants it tonight. Tonight at the masquerade ball."

"She wants to do it in public. Killing Mason threw her off guard." Stefan said.

"She's running scared. What she did to Jenna was desperate. She's out of tricks." Damon said.

"We can't underestimate her." Buffy said. "We have to play this smarter than her."

"Buffy's right." Stefan said.

"Can't we just give her the moonstone so she'll leave?" Caroline asked.

"No. Katherine's not getting dick." Damon said. " I've had it. I'm gonna go to the masquerade ball, and I'm going to kill her. Tonight."

"You're not gonna kill her." Stefan said.

"Don't give me that goody- goody crap." Damon griped, pointing at Stefan.

"You're not going to kill her."

"Oh, really?"

"Because I am." Stefan grinned.

"I have an idea." Everyone turned and looked at Buffy.

"What kind of idea?" Stefan asked.

"An idea of how we can beat Katherine at her own game."

"Well, ok. Let's hear it." Damon said.

"First, I need to make a phone call."

"A call? To who?"

"An old friend."

* * *

"Hey, come on in." Caroline said, as Bonnie walked into the house.

"I got Stefan's message." Bonnie said.

"Hey, you brought the grimoire. Thank you." Stefan said.

"What's going on?"

"We're going to kill Katherine." Jeremy said, as he walked past Bonnie.

"I can explain." Stefan said.

"Please."

"We're gonna kill Katherine."

"Yeah... That pretty much sums it up." Buffy said, nodding her head.

"I know you love Elena and you want to be with her, but it's risky." Bonnie said. "Too many people could get hurt."

"Look, I want Elena back, yes. But it's more than that. What Katherine did to Jenna crossed a line. And she has to be stopped before it happens again." Stefan explained.

"I don't know, Stefan."

"Look, Katherine knows me, all right? She knows that I'm not going to try something in a crowd full of innocent people. So that gives me an edge. I can catch her by surprise."

"How?"

"Buffy has a plan."

"What kind of plan?"

"A spell." Buffy said.

"A spell? What kind of spell?"

"A spell to trap Katherine. Kind of like the tomb spell. We can isolate her away from everyone."

"That spell took both me and my Grams. And it killed her. I don't think I can do it."

"You can't." Buffy said. "But I have that part covered."

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked.

Just then, someone knocked on the front door. "Right on time." Buffy walked over to the door and opened it. "Thank you so much for coming."

"Not a problem."

"Please, come in." Buffy opened the door wider, allowing the person to walk inside the house. Everyone looked at Buffy and the newcomer. "Everyone, I would like you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Willow."

"Hi." Willow said, waving nervously.

"This is your secret weapon?" Damon asked, incredulously.

"Willow is a witch." Buffy explained. "A very powerful witch."

"Really?"

"Yup. That's me." Willow said, nodding her head.

"If you knew she was coming, than why did you guys call me?" Bonnie asked.

"We needed the grimoire." Buffy said.

"Buffy said that Emily's trapping spell is pretty powerful. So, why fix something if it's not broken? You know?" Willow said, jokingly.

* * *

"Are you sure you guy's don't want me there tonight?" Alaric asked.

"No, I need you to stay with Elena. I don't want her to know about this." Stefan said.

"Ok. I'll make sure she doesn't leave my sight."

"All right. If anybody wants to back out, I'll understand."

"Yeah, cold feet speak now. I don't want this going wrong because someone chickens out. Caroline?" Damon said, giving Caroline a pointed look.

"I won't. She killed me. Fair's fair." Caroline said. "And as long as there are no werewolves running around."

"Oh, I took care of Mason." Damon smirked.

"And as long as Tyler doesn't kill anyone... He won't turn." Jeremy added.

"Willow, you good?" Buffy asked.

Willow nodded. "All good. Full of goodness. I've got the spell memorized, and I've got everything that I need. This should be easy as pie."

"Well, hell yeah!" Damon grinned.

"Bonnie? You ok?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah. No one gets hurt, right?" Bonnie said.

"Except Katherine." Damon said. "Tonight Katherine gets a stake through her heart."

* * *

"Do you see her?" Damon asked Stefan.

"No." Stefan said, as he looked around the party. "Are you sure you can do this?"

"Psh." Damon scoffed. "Who are you talking to?"

"I had the chance to kill her, and I hesitated."

"Well, that is the fork in the road between you and me, my friend. I don't hesitate."

"You spent 145 years loving her. It could happen."

"I won't hesitate."

"Ok."

"Have you seen her yet?" Buffy asked, as she appeared behind Damon and Stefan.

"No. Not yet." Damon said. He turned around to look at her. "What took you so... Long. Wow! Buffy... You look..."

Buffy smiled. "Yes?"

"You look... Amazing. Stunning."

"You look beautiful, Buffy." Stefan said, smiling.

"Thank you. Both of you." Buffy was wearing a beautiful, one- shoulder, white dress. The dress reached mid- thigh, and clung to her figure. The back of the dress was transparent down to the middle of her back. A small strip in the middle of the dress was transparent as well, and it wrapped around to the back at a curved angle. The shoulder strap was beaded in silver crystals, as were the transparent sections. On her feet, she wore a pair of peep- toe, opened- heel, silver Louboutin heels. Her eyes were dark and smokey and her lips were dark crimson. Her hair was pinned ontop of her head in a gorgeous, messy updo. Her masquerade mask was a beautiful, antique white mask. It had lace trimming all the way around and delicate lace ribbon to tie the mask on. In the middle of the mask, was a beautiful filigree leaf.

"Come on. Let's go inside." Damon said, holding out his hand.

Buffy smiled and placed her hand in his. "All right."

* * *

"Buffy." Willow said, as she walked over to her and Damon.

"Willow. Everything ok?" Buffy asked.

"Yup. Everything's good. The room is ready."

"Thank you."

"Yes. Thank you." Damon said. "This wouldn't even have a chance of working if it weren't for you. Bonnie could never have pulled it off."

"She's not too happy about me stealing her thunder."

"She's a little girl playing Sabrina." Buffy growled.

"Yeah." Damon nodded. "You should see what she does to my brain."

"She does stuff to your head?"

"Oh, yeah. She is not a card carrying member of the vampire friend club." Buffy said.

"Well, I could maybe help."

"Really? How?" Damon asked.

"I could do a protection spell. That way she couldn't use harmful spells on any of you."

"Willow, you're amazing." Damon grinned.

"It's nothing... Really." Willow blushed.

* * *

"I put the body in the trunk for now." Stefan said. He had found Damon and Buffy and explained to them how Katherine had killed a girl.

"We can dump her when we get back." Damon said.

"This is exactly what I didn't want, Damon."

"Stefan, it's collateral damage."

"Right, which is why we need to call it off."

"What? Stefan, no." Buffy said.

"Who's hesitating now?" Damon asked. "Hey. Don't do this to me! This woman ruined our lives. She destroyed us. Tonight it ends. We can do it together. I got your back. All right?"

Stefan nodded. "All right."

"All right. Damon text Jeremy, tell him to go ahead." Buffy said.

"Done." Damon said, as he finished sending the message.

* * *

Outside the room, in the hallway, they heard Caroline. "Why do you keep dragging me into this? I don't want any part of it."

"Shut up." Katherine hissed. "Which room is it?"

"It's that one."

Katherine opened the doors and walked into the room. "Where is she?" She asked, looking around.

Caroline started to laugh. "I did it. Heh. I really didn't think that I'd be able to fool you. But I did it."

Katherine ran towards Caroline but before she could reach her, she slammed against the invisible barrier. "What the...?" Katherine rolled her eyes and sighed. "Stefan."

"Hello, Katherine." Stefan said.

"Good-bye, Katherine." Caroline said, walking away.

"You don't really think that you can kill me with that, now do you?" Katherine asked, pointing to the stake in Stefan's hand.

"No." Stefan said. "But she can." Stefan looked over Katherine's shoulder, as Buffy threw a stake towards Katherine.

The stake penetrated Katherine's back. "Ahh!" Katherine fell to her knees. As she started to stand up, Stefan ran towards her and stabbed her in the arm. Stefan pulled the stake out of her arm, and aimed it towards her heart. Katherine shoved him away from her. Damon pulled the stake out of her back, Katherine turned around and threw him into the wall. Buffy rushed towards her and backhanded her, sending Katherine flying into the wall. Katherine picked herself up and ran at Buffy. Buffy moved faster than her however, and she grabbed Katherine by her neck. Buffy slammed Katherine into the wall, cracking it. "You're not going to kill me." Katherine chocked out.

Buffy raised her eyebrow. "Oh, no? Listen up, bitch. I've not been in love with you for 145 years. I have no problem shoving this stake through your heart." Buffy aimed the stake at Katherine's heart.

"Stop! You're hurting Elena." Jeremy screamed, as he ran into the room. "Everything you're doing to her is hurting Elena."

"What did you do?" Buffy asked, as she let go of Katherine.

"You think you're the only ones with a witch on your side?" Katherine asked, cockily. "Wrong. And something tells me that my witch is better than your witch."

"Jeremy, go check on Elena. Make sure she's ok." Stefan said.

"Go! Find Willow!" Buffy ordered. Jeremy ran out of the room.

"Let's all make sure poor Elena is ok." Katherine mocked. She picked up a stake and cut into her palm. "Just a little bit more pressure." Stefan knocked the stake out of her hand. She picked it back up and aimed it towards her stomach. "This is really going to hurt."

"Wait!" Stefan cried.

"Ok." Katherine said. She sat down on the couch and grinned up at them. "So, how about that moonstone?"

* * *

"The three of us together, just like old times. Well, except for Buffy." Katherine said, shooting a distasteful look at Buffy. "The brother who loved me too much." She looked at Damon. "And the one that didn't love me enough." She finished, looking at Stefan.

"And the evil slut vampire who only loved herself." Damon said, causing Buffy to laugh.

"What happened to you, Damon? You used to be so sweet and polite."

"Oh, that Damon died a long time ago."

"Good. He was a bore."

"Why don't you two stop antagonizing each other." Stefan sighed.

"Where's the moonstone?" Katherine asked.

"What do you want with it?" Stefan countered.

"Does Elena enjoy having you worship at her alter? And how about you, Buffy? Do you enjoy having Damon worship at yours?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh, God."

"That was really desperate, Katherine." Stefan said. "Don't you think that we can see right through you?"

"So it doesn't bother you that Damon is in love with Buffy? I mean, she is like a sister to you, right?"

"Oh, stop it."

"Or what? You'll hurt me? Come on, Stefan. Everything that I feel, Elena feels. So, go ahead. Or better yet. Kiss me, Damon. She'll feel that, too."

"You know, this whole Mason thing has me a bit confused. Why a werewolf? The moonstone can break a curse that would help them destroy all vampires. So, what's in that for you?"

"Sorry about your pet wolf. You should have kept him on a tighter leash." Damon smirked.

"I'll have to remember that for next time." Katherine replied, tightly. "He's not the only wolf in town."

* * *

"Damn it. Where's that witch." Damon grumbled.

"Hurry up, Willow." Buffy muttered under her breath.

"We could play charades!" Katherine suggested.

"You bargained the moonstone." Stefan said.

"What are you mumbling about over there?" Damon asked.

"When you struck a deal with George Lockwood to help you fake your death, you told me that you gave George something that he needed."

"The moonstone. It was the moonstone. Oh, now it all makes sense! That's why you picked Mason. Because he was a Lockwood. You knew that the moonstone had been passed down through the family, ever since you gave it to George." Buffy said.

"Good for you, Stefan, Buffy. 2+2... And it would have worked, except that people found out I wasn't in the tomb. Thanks to you." She shot an accusatory glance at Damon. "By the way, have I mentioned how inconvenient your obbsession with me has been?"

"You and me both, Honey." Damon agreed.

"Why do you need it back?" Stefan asked.

"I love you in a suit. So dashing."

"Stay on topic, Katherine." Buffy growled.

"And what where you doing with it in the first place?" Stefan wondered.

"You're wasting you breath, Stefan." Damon sighed.

"Unless..." Stefan started.

"It wasn't yours to begin with." Buffy finished.

"In 1864, you faked your death."

"Who were you running from, Katherine?"

Katherine ignored Buffy's question, and looked over at Stefan. "In 1987, you were in Chicago, at a concert of all places. With that wench Lexi."

Buffy growled and made a move towards her. Damon grabbed onto Buffy's arm and pulled her back. "She's still linked to Elena."

Katherine smirked and turned her attention back to Stefan. "Come on, Stefan. Don't look so surprised. Of course, I checked in on you over the years. You were standing in the front row dancing all night. You were watching Bon Jovi, and I was watching you."

"Who were you running from?" Stefan asked.

Katherine smiled and mouthed _'I love you.'_

* * *

Katherine sighed. "We're missing the party." Damon poured himself a drink. "I'll have one of those."

"Right away, Miss Katherine." Damon said, sarcastically. He poured another glass and handed it to her.

"Thank you." Katherine said, as she took the glass.

Damon shoved Katherine against the wall, and pinned her there by her throat. He lifted his arm, stake in hand. "No! Damon, don't." Stefan cried, as he pulled Damon off of her.

"Yes, Damon, please." Katherine grinned.

"The second the spell is lifted, I'm gonna drive this stake right through your heart." Damon growled.

"God, you're hot." Katherine moaned. "When did you get so hot?"

"Katherine..." Katherine's witch called out, as she walked into the room. "The spell in this room has been broken. You're free to go."

"Thank God."

The witch held up the moonstone. "When I hand this over, my debt to you is over."

"Done."

"I owe you nothing."

"I said 'done.' Give it."

"I wouldn't do that." Damon warned.

The witch handed the moonstone to Katherine. Katherine took it and grinned. A few seconds later, she started choking. "You should have told me other witches were involved. One of them is a Bennett witch, Katherine. But I'm sure you knew that."

"Wait, Elena..." Stefan yelled.

"Elena's fine. The spell is broken. She'll heal quickly. Bonnie and Willow are with her." Katherine fell to the ground, gasping and choking. "I apologize for my involvement." The witch walked out of the room.

They all watched as Katherine passed out. "What are we going to do with her?" Damon asked.

"I have an idea." Buffy smirked.

* * *

Katherine woke up on the ground. She looked around, disoriented. She spotted the moonstone on the ground beside of her, she picked it up and stood up. Weakly, she started walking towards the door. Whenever she reached it, she slammed into the barrier. She looked around, confused.

"Hello, Katherine." Damon said, from where he and Buffy were standing outside the door.

"Where am I?" Katherine asked.

"Where you should have been all along." Buffy replied. "I thought you would have learned your lesson by now about messing with a Bennett witch. But of course, I wasn't here in 1864. So what do I know? But I can tell you that my witch is way better than your witch. And she's not a Bennett witch. She reinforced the containment spell."

"You should have killed me."

"Death would have been too kind." Damon said. He moved forward towards the door.

"No! Damon, don't." Katherine begged. "Damon, don't. You need me. Elena's in danger."

"From who?" Katherine remained silent. "You're lying. You're always lying." Damon started to close the door.

"Why do you think I haven't killed her? Because she's the doppelganger. She needs to be protected."

"Then me and Buffy will protect her. While you rot in Hell."

"No. Damon, don't. I'll do anything. Please, Damon. You need me. Damon! You need me! You need me!"

Damon sealed the door shut and turned around to face Buffy. "You ok?" Buffy asked.

Damon nodded. "Yeah. I'm better than ok."

Buffy smiled and held out her hand. "Come on. Let's go home."

Damon took her hand and smiled back at her. "Let's go home."

* * *

 _ ***Let me know what you guys think! Thanks for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed it =)***_


	25. Elijah

"So, Sarah attacks Tyler, and he pushed her away, and she tripped, and she fell, and she hit her head." Caroline said.

Caroline called Damon and asked him and Buffy to come over, so that she could explain everything that had happened with Tyler at the masquerade party. "Does Matt remember anything?" Damon asked.

"Mmm, he thinks he blacked out."

"Mmm."

"But I think... I think they were both compelled by Katherine. That's why I covered for Tyler and said it was an accident."

"Yeah, I don't understand that. The guy's a tool."

"I agree." Buffy said, nodding her head.

"Well, gee, duh. Tyler getting blamed for Sarah's death just opens up questions that he can't answer. And do you guy's really think it's a good idea for him to tell his mom he's a werewolf?"

"Well, no." Damon said.

"And that werewolf road leads straight to vampire boulevard. I thought I was thinking fast on my feet."

"Where's your mom?" Buffy asked.

"Leading the search party for Aimee Bradley. They haven't found her body yet."

"Oh, teens today and their underage drinking. Tragic." Damon said, jokingly.

"Wait. Did you see Tyler's eyes turn yellow?" Buffy asked.

"More gold with amber highlights." Caroline explained. Damon groaned and rolled his eyes. "Can he turn into a wolf now?"

"Only on a full moon." Damon answered. "But now he has increased strength and who knows what else."

"I wonder how much Mason told him." Buffy said. "Did he say anything to you, Caroline? I mean, does he know about us?"

Caroline ignored Buffy's question and looked down at her phone. "Hey." Damon said. "What'd you tell him?"

"Nothing, really." Caroline shrugged. "I... I don't think he knows much of anything. He seemed really freaked out, and honestly... I felt kinda bad for him."

"He's gotta know something."

"All right. I'll ask him." Caroline said, as she started to walk away.

Suddenly, Damon was in front of her, blocking her path. "No, you won't, Caroline. He cannot know about us. A bite from a werewolf can kill a vampire. So don't be his friend. Do you understand me?"

Caroline nodded her head. "I understand. I'm late for school."

When Damon didn't move, Buffy sighed. "Damon. Move."

"Right." Damon said, as he moved to the side to let Caroline past him. "If you want to drop the hint to your mom that Aimee's body is at the bottom of the ravine with a cracked spine, it might save your mom some time."

* * *

Stefan had called Buffy and told her that Elena was missing. He told her to meet him at the high school. And since Damon was already with her, he tagged along.

"This has Katherine written all over it." Stefan said.

"Katherine's in the tomb." Damon said. "Trust me. I'm the one who shut her in."

"Did you?"

"Did I what, Stefan?"

"Well, I know the hold that Katherine has on you."

"She's in the tomb. Period. End of story."

"Damon's right, Stefan." Buffy said, nodding her head. "I watched him seal the door shut. Katherine is in the tomb."

"But she did say something to me right before I shut her in." Damon admitted. "I thought she was lying."

"What did she say?" Stefan asked.

"Elena's in danger." Buffy said. "She said that Elena was in danger. That she had to be protected."

"What, and you two didn't think you should ask her to elaborate?"

"Everything she says is a lie. How are we supposed to know if she's gonna start spouting off the truth?" Damon asked.

"We have to go talk to her."

"No, no. Let me tell you how that's gonna go. We're gonna go ask her for help. She's gonna negotiate her release, which we're gonna be dumb enough to give her, and then she's gonna get out and kill us."

"Damon's right." Buffy agreed. "That's exactly what she wants."

"I don't really care." Stefan said.

"It's a bad idea, Stefan." Damon grumbled.

"It's Elena."

"Exactly." Buffy nodded. "It's Elena. Which is why you're not thinking clearly. Because if you were, you'd see what a bad idea this really is. Not to mention, dumb."

"Well, what would you do, Buffy?"

"A spell."

"A spell? How is a spell going to help us right now?"

"We'll do a locator spell. Look, Willow hasn't left yet. We'll just ask her to do it. It's a simple spell."

"A locator spell."

"Yes."

Stefan sighed. "All right." He nodded. "We'll give it a try."

* * *

"Are you sure you can do this?" Stefan asked, as Willow was getting everything ready for the spell.

"Yeah." Willow nodded. "Locator spells are pretty simple."

"Told you so." Buffy said.

"Ok. So, I'll need a map." Willow said.

"A map of Mystic Falls?" Stefan asked.

"Better make it a map of the whole state. You know, just to be safe."

"Got it." Stefan said, holding up the map.

"All right. Now all we need is Jeremy."

"I'm here." Jeremy announced, as he suddenly walked into the room.

Buffy looked at Willow, confused. "Will, did you just..." She pointed to Jeremy.

"I didn't do it." Willow said.

"I called him." Damon said. "Figured he might want to know what was going on."

"Good thinking. Because we need him for this spell to work properly." Willow laid the map out on a table in the library.

"How does this work?" Jeremy asked.

"Well..." Willow started, as she lit a few candles. "I'll use your blood to draw energy for the locator spell."

"My blood?"

Willow nodded. "You're blood- related. So, it'll make the connection stronger."

"Ok."

"Are you ready?" Willow asked. Jeremy nodded his head, nervously. Willow picked up a knife and slowly cut into the palm of Jeremy's hand. "Now, let the blood fall onto the map." Jeremy closed his hand into a fist, and let a few drops of blood fall onto the map. Willow closed her eyes and started to chant softly. The drops of blood connected, forming one drop, and then moved across the map. Finally, the blood stopped. "There." Willow pointed to where the blood had stopped. "She's there."

"That's 300 miles away." Jeremy said.

"Willow, we need a more exact location than that." Said Stefan.

"That's as close as I can get." Willow sighed.

"We can map it, get an aerial view. It'll show us what's around there, help us narrow down the area." Jeremy suggested.

"Perfect." Stefan nodded.

"Thank you, Willow." Buffy said, as she hugged the redhead.

"No problem, Buff." Willow smiled, hugging her back.

"Jeremy, call us with whatever you find." Stefan said, as he walked towards the door. "Damon, Buffy, let's go."

"I'm coming with you." Jeremy said.

"No, Jeremy, you're not."

"We need weapons." Buffy said.

"We'll stop by Alaric's. Get him to stock us up."

"I'm not gonna just sit here. What if she's hurt, ok?" Jeremy argued.

"Jeremy..." Buffy started.

"Or worse? What if she's..."

"She's not. Go back to your house just in case. Call Bonnie. Fill her in on what's going on." Stefan said. "I'm gonna call you the minute we find her."

"Let's go." Damon said.

"We'll find her, Jeremy." Buffy said. "I promise."

* * *

Buffy, Damon and Stefan were in the car driving down the highway. Damon was in the driver's seat, with Buffy sitting next to him in the passenger seat, and Stefan was sitting in the backseat with all of the weapons.

"Alaric sure likes his weapons." Damon said. He looked over and noticed Buffy playing around with something. "What the hell is that?"

"Well, it's a vervain bomb or grenade launcher." Buffy explained. "Or something like that. Alaric made it."

"Weird."

"Hey, how much further is it?" Stefan asked.

"About 80 miles." Damon answered.

"Who do you think took her?"

"If I had to guess... Probably someone from Katherine's past." Buffy said. " I mean, she did say she was running from someone."

"Maybe they got the wrong girl." Damon said, hopefully.

"Thank you. Both of you, for helping me." Stefan said.

"Can we not do the whole road-trip bonding thing? The cliche of it all makes me itch."

"Shut up." Buffy said, as she slapped Damon's arm. "You're very welcome, Stefan."

Stefan grinned. "Oh, come on, Damon. We both know that you being in this car has nothing to do with me, anyway."

"The elephant in the room let's out a mighty roar." Damon said, sarcastically.

"Well, it doesn't have to be an elephant." Stefan moved closer to the front, so that he could see Damon better. "Let's talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about." Damon chuckled.

"That's not true. Sure there is. Let's get it out. I mean, are you in this car because you want to help your little brother save a girl he loves, or is it... is it because Buffy's in this car? Hmm?" Buffy looked over at Damon, her expression unreadable. "I mean, come on. Express yourself. I happen to like road-trip bonding."

"Keep it up, Stefan. I can step out of helping as easily as I stepped in."

"Nope. See, that's the beauty of it. You can't." Stefan looked over at Buffy, who was looking out the window.

* * *

"We're getting close." Stefan said. "Jeremy said there's an access road just past mile marker 6."

Damon reached down between Buffy's legs and opened the small cooler. He pulled out two blood bags, and handed one to Buffy. He started to drink from his. "If you want some, just ask." Damon said, as Stefan looked at him.

"I want some." Stefan said.

"Aww, that's so sweet. Gonna be all big and strong to save your girl." Damon mocked. "Well, don't worry. Buffy and I have your back. You'll be fine."

"I'm not joking. I've been drinking a little every day, slowly increasing my intake and building up my strength."

Buffy handed her blood bag to Stefan. "Drink up."

"Thanks." Stefan took the bag and began drinking from it.

"Does Elena know you're drinking blood?" Damon asked.

"I've been drinking hers."

"Hmm. How romantic."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Damon. Just shut up and drink your blood."

Damon took a big sip and smirked. "Since we're road-trip bonding, remember the days when all you lived for was blood, you were the guy who would rip someone apart just for the fun of it?"

Stefan nodded his head. "You mean when I was more like you?"

"Yes, Stefan. Exactly. Back when you put blood into me so I could be a big, bad vampire. Wonder if Elena would be so quick to open her veins to that guy? By the way, what happened to that guy? He was a hoot."

"Guess he found something else to live for."

"What's the matter, Damon? Jealous because no one will open their veins for you, without being compelled or forced?" Buffy smirked.

Stefan chuckled and looked over at Damon. "You think you're so funny." Damon grumbled.

* * *

"There's the access road." Buffy pointed out. Damon turned off onto the road and parked a few miles in. They all got out of the car, Stefan carrying the weapons bag.

"The house should be just beyond those trees." Damon said.

"Wait." Buffy ran in front of Stefan and blocked his path. "I've got a little more experience than you do with this sort of thing."

"So what's your point?" Stefan asked.

"My point is whoever has Elena is probably who was after Katherine in 1864 and before that."

"And... Again, what's your point?"

"So, it puts them at 500 years old and strong. I'm 865... So, I'm a lot stronger than you. Which means I've got a better chance at fighting them. Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Yeah, I'm certain I wanna do it."

"Just checking. 'Cause we go in that house, we might not come back out."

"All right. Then I won't come out."

"So noble, Stefan." Damon said.

Stefan scoffed. "I can't think of a better reason to die. But if you want to stay here, Damon, I'll totally understand." Stefan and Buffy turned and started walking towards the house.

* * *

Once they reached the house, Buffy stopped. "What's wrong?" Damon asked.

"There's two vampires. Old vampires." Buffy said.

"Ok. Here's the plan." Damon looked at both Stefan and Buffy. "Me and Stefan will go in first. Wait a few minutes and then you come in and distract, while we grab Elena."

Buffy nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"Buffy." Stefan whispered. Buffy turned around and looked at him. "Are you sure you can handle two of them?"

"I'll be fine, Stefan."

"Come on." Damon said.

* * *

Buffy stood on the front porch, waiting. _'Come on, guys. Hurry up.'_ She thought to herself. She heard glass shattering.

"What is that?" She heard a male voice ask.

"I don't know." Said the female.

"Who else is in this house?"

"I don't know."

"Move." The male commanded. Buffy heard footsteps, as they moved through the house. They were now in front of the front door. She heard Damon and Stefan moving around the room. "Rose."

"I don't know who it is." Rose said.

 _'Rose? Where have I heard that name before?'_ Buffy thought.

"Up here." Stefan called out. Buffy heard one of the vamps run upstairs.

"Down here." Damon called.

"Excuse me." The male called out. "To whom it may concern, you're making a great mistake if you think that you can beat me. You can't. You hear that? I repeat... You cannot beat me. So I want the girl on the count of 3, or heads will roll. Do we understand each other?"

"I'll come with you." Elena said.

 _'That's my cue.'_ Buffy thought. She kicked the doors down and walked inside. What she saw, however, was not what she had been expecting. "Elijah?" She whispered.

"Buffy?" Elijah asked. He walked towards her, never taking his eyes off of her. "Is it really you?" Once he reached her, he stopped.

"Elijah... What are you... What are you doing?"

"Oh, Buffy..." Elijah smiled. "I have missed you."

"You took Elena?"

"No."

"But... She's here."

"Yes. But i did not take her."

"Then let her go."

"I'm afraid I cannot."

"Elijah."

"Oh, I've missed you, Buffy." Elijah reached out and touched Buffy's hair. "You're still so beautiful."

"What do you want with Elena?"

"That's nothing for you to worry about."

"You can't have her, Elijah." Buffy said, as she looked into his eyes. "She's coming with me. I'm taking her home."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Buffy." Elijah removed his hand from Buffy's hair.

"Elijah... Please..."

"You left."

"Yes."

"You left, and now you give me an order and expect me to bow down to you?" Elijah shook his head.

"You know why I left." Buffy's voice was hard.

Elijah nodded. "Yes. But you still left. I looked for you, you know."

Buffy was speechless. What was she supposed to say? She never expected him to look for her. "I... Why?"

Elijah scoffed. "Do you really have to ask?"

"I'm sorry."

"What's done is done." He turned his attention back to Elena, who was standing at the top of the stairs. "Now, you were saying?"

"I'll come with you. Just please don't hurt my friends. They just wanted to help me out." Elena said.

Suddenly, Elijah was standing in front of Elena. "What game are you playing with me?" Elena pulled the pin on the vervain bomb and tossed it at Elijah. "Ahh!" Elijah screamed in pain. He looked up at Elena, his skin burned. But almost immediately, it healed. He started walking towards Elena, but Stefan appeared and shot him with Alaric's compressed air stake launcher. It didn't even faze Elijah.

 _'Elijah will kill him.'_ Buffy thought. Buffy ran up the stairs and was suddenly standing in front of Elijah. She shoved him backwards, but he grabbed onto her, so they both went tumbling down the stairs. Elijah stood up once they reached the bottom, as did Buffy.

"I don't want to hurt you, Buffy." Elijah said.

"You're not going to let her go without a fight." Buffy said. Buffy ran towards Elijah and backhanded him across the face. Elijah's head didn't even move. He punched her in the face and she heard and felt her jaw bone crack. Buffy did a roundhouse kick, knocking Elijah off balance enough for her to advance. She delivered a series of punches and kicks to his face, sides, chest and legs. Elijah blocked most of them.

"Do not forget who taught you how to fight." Elijah said, as he caught her fist before she could land her punch. He crushed her hand. Buffy cried out in pain. "I didn't want this." Elijah kicked out, sending her flying into the wall on the other side of the room. Her head made a sickening crack, as it connected with the wall.

Buffy stood up, slowly. Elijah advanced on her once again. He punched her in the sturnum, cracking it. He then kneed her in the face, breaking her nose. Buffy head-butted him, causing him to back up a few steps. She ran at him and jumped up, her legs wrapped around his head. She used her momentum and flipped them, so that Elijah landed on the ground beneath her. She then began raining punches down on his face.

Elijah kicked her away, and she landed on the floor, hard. He walked over to her and lifted her up by her throat, holding her a few inches above the ground, so that her feet dangled in the air. Elijah looked into her eyes. "I don't like hurting you."

"You could have fooled me." Buffy groaned out.

Elijah sighed. "You should have known better than to try and fight me. I'm stronger than you. I will always win." Buffy spat her blood in his face. Elijah growled and tossed her across the room. She broke through the banister and landed painfully against the wall. She didn't move. Elijah moved towards her, but Damon appeared and staked Elijah with a broken coat rack. He shoved it through Elijah's heart and pinned him against the wall.

Damon rushed over to Buffy. "Buffy..." He turned her over onto her back. "Oh, God." There was blood everywhere. And she was covered in cuts and bruises. "Why aren't you healing?" Damon gently touched her cheek.

Stefan and Elena rushed down the stairs and stopped next to Damon. "Buffy?" Elena asked.

"Why isn't she healing?" Stefan asked.

"I don't know." Damon gently lifted her into his arms. "We need to get her home. She needs to feed."

"There's so much blood." Elena cried. "She's stronger than the both of you... How can she be so broken?"

"He was stronger." Damon carried Buffy outside, as they made their way back to the car.

* * *

Damon was pouring himself a drink, when Stefan walked in. "Where's Elena?"

"She's home." Stefan said.

"And you're here why?"

"Because she wanted to be with Jeremy."

"Here." Damon handed Stefan his drink and poured himself another one.

"Thanks. Listen, um, what Rose told Elena about the curse..."

"I know. We'll keep her safe."

"How's Buffy?"

"Not good. She woke up long enough to drain a blood bag and then she passed out again. Even then she wasn't completely awake. She's starting to heal, but just barely. Not at the rate she should be, anyway."

"Hey."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"For being the guy who made you turn 145 years ago."

"Enough, Stef. It's late. And I need to go check on Buffy. We Don't need to rehash that."

"You know what? I've never said it out loud. I guess I just need to say it, and you need to hear it. I'm sorry. What I did was selfish. I didn't want to be alone. Guess I just needed my brother. Go on. Go check on Buffy. I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

Damon walked into his room and shut the door. He moved over to the bed and sat down, careful to not move around too much. He looked down at Buffy. "I wish you would wake up." Damon whispered. Buffy whimpered and began to toss and turn. Damon sighed and cupped her cheek. "It's ok. I'm here."

 _ ***Buffy's Dream***_

Buffy walked through the forest, snow crunching beneath her bare feet. She saw a figure standing just ahead of her, so she continued to walk towards it. She stopped mere inches away.

"Hello, Buffy." He said.

"Why am I here?" She asked.

"I wanted to see you. You saw Elijah today."

Buffy nodded. "Yes."

He frowned and looked at her, his expression a mixture of pity and sadness. "He did a number on you."

Buffy looked down and saw the bruises and cuts on her arms. She felt the blood running down her face. "Those should have healed by now."

"Getting beat up by an original is different. You should remember that."

Buffy nodded. "I remember. But it's never taken me this long to heal."

"You'll heal. In time."

Buffy looked at him, suspiciously. "You did something. To me. That's why I'm not healing."

He smiled. "You always were a smart one."

"What did you do?"

"You shouldn't worry. You'll heal. I promise."

"How did you know? About Elijah?"

"I know everything when it comes to you."

"What does he want with Elena?"

"All in due time."

"Why is he here? Why now?"

"You'll soon find out. I'll see you soon, my sweet Buffy."

 _ ***End Dream***_

* * *

 ** _*Hope you guys enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading =)*_**


	26. Buffy's Sire

Damon opened the door to see Elena standing on the other side. "Hello, Elena."

"Stefan here?" Elena asked. "He called, said it was important."

"Right this way."

"How's Buffy?"

"She's healed up. Well, mostly. She's still sleeping."

"Hey." Stefan said, walking up to them.

"What is this about?" Elena asked. Rose stepped out from behind Stefan. "You."

"Elena..." Stefan started.

"What is she doing here, Stefan?"

"She wants to explain."

"Explain? Explain what?"

"Why you were taken."

"Please. Just, here me out." Rose pleaded.

"Fine." Elena agreed.

* * *

Once they were all in the living-room, Rose began to explain. "Ok, you have to understand I only know what I've picked up over the years. And I don't know what's true and what's not true. That's the problem with all this vampire crap. But Klaus, I know is real."

"Who is he?" Elena asked, from where she was sitting on the couch.

"One of the Originals. He's a legend." Damon answered.

"Hmm. Of the first generation of vampires." Stefan added.

"Like Elijah." Elena said.

"No." Rose said, shaking her head. "Elijah was the Easter Bunny compared to Klaus. He's a foot soldier. Klaus is the real deal."

"Klaus is known to be the oldest." Stefan explained.

"Ok, so you're saying that the oldest vampire in the history of time is coming after me?" Elena asked.

"Yes." Rose said.

"No." Stefan argued.

"What they're saying is... I mean, if what she's saying is true..." Damon started.

"Which it is." Rose interupted.

"And you're not just saying it so we don't kill you..."

"Which I'm not."

"Then we're looking at a solid maybe."

"Look, Elijah's dead, right?" Stefan said. "So no one else even knows that you exsist." He looked at Elena.

"Not that you know of." Rose pointed out.

"That's not helping." Damon said.

"Look, I've never even met anyone who's laid eyes on him." Stefan said. "I mean, we're talking centuries of truth mixed with fiction. I mean, we don't know what's real. For all we know, he could just be some sort of stupid bedtime story."

"He's real." Everyone turned around and saw Buffy.

"Buffy." Damon said, as he stood up and walked over to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. A little sore, but... I'm good."

"Buffy." Elena said. "You said he's real. How do you know?"

"Because I've seen him."

"You've seen him?" Damon asked, incredulously.

"Yes." Buffy said, nodding.

"I told you." Rose said. "He's real and he doesn't give up."

"All right, we're shaking. You've made you're point." Damon said.

"You should be." Buffy said, looking at Damon. "If Klaus wants something... He gets it. If you're not afraid of him, then you're an idiot."

"How do you know so much about him?" Stefan asked.

"Yes. Do tell." Damon said.

Buffy sighed. "He made me."

Damon's eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed a few times. "He made you?"

Buffy nodded her head. "Yes."

Elena grabbed her bag and stood up. "Where you going?" Stefan asked.

"School. I'm late." She answered.

"Let me, uh... Just let me grab my stuff. I'll go with you."

"That's ok. I know where it is." She looked at Buffy and walked out.

"She's in denial." Damon whispered.

Stefan turned around and narrowed his eyes at Damon. "Shut up, Damon."

"Buffy..." Damon started. "Tell us the story."

"What story?" Buffy asked.

"The story of how you met Klaus." Stefan said.

"Why do you wanna hear about that?"

"Because." Damon said. "Every little bit of info about him helps."

Buffy took a deep breath. "Well..." She started, as she closed her eyes and searched through her memories. "The year was 1164. My family and I were attending a ball..."

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

Buffy walked around the party and sighed. She hated attending these parties. They were all the same, with the same boring people. She spotted the doors leading to the gardens, and moved towards them. She found a bench in the gardens and sat down. She tipped her head back and stared up at the night sky.

"My eyes must be playing tricks on me." Buffy's head snapped down, looking at the owner of the voice that had just spoken. "I swear, it is an angel that stands in front of me."

Buffy smiled prettily. "You are far too kind, sir. I assure you, I am no angel."

He smiled back. "I am not yet convinced. You look like an angel and your voice is heavenly."

"Again, you sir, are far too kind."

"If I may be so bold as to ask, what is a beautiful creature such as yourself doing alone? Away from the party?"

Buffy sighed and looked down at the ground. "I hate these parties. My father made me come."

He walked over and sat down on the bench beside of her. "May I ask your name?"

Buffy looked up and into his eyes. "Buffy Summers."

He grinned and lifted her hand to his lips, placing a kiss across her knuckles. "It is a pleasure, Miss Summers. I am Klaus."

"Klaus? No last name?"

"For now, Klaus is all you need to know." He looked into her eyes, compelling her. "Why do you hate these parties?"

"They bore me."

"Hmm. Interesting. Why do they bore you?"

"They are all the same. With the same boring people."

"What would you rather do?"

"Travel. I want to leave this place. Father says that it is improper. A woman is meant to marry and have children."

"But you do not want this?"

Buffy shook her head. "No. I do not want to marry. All of the men here are boring and cruel. I want to meet someone exciting and interesting."

Klaus grinned.

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

"So, that was the first time you met him?" Stefan asked.

"Yes." Buffy nodded.

"Then what happened? How did he end up turning you?" Damon asked.

"He courted me for a few months. I fell in love with him. And then... On the night of my 20th birthday... He turned me."

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

Buffy and Klaus walked towards her house. Buffy looked up at him, smiling. "I had a lovely time."

Klaus smiled back down at her. "As did I." Buffy beamed up at him. She then turned towards her house. "Buffy." Klaus called out, stopping her. He looked down into her eyes, compelling her. "Tonight, at 11:00, you will wake up. You will get out of bed and walk into the woods. You will meet me in the woods. Do you understand?"

"I will walk into the woods."

"You will not bring a candle or lantern. And you are to come alone. You are to tell no one. Do you understand?"

"No candle. No lantern. I will come alone. I will tell no one."

 _ ***End Flashback***_

* * *

"Ok." Damon said. "So, obviously you met him. Right?"

"Buffy..." Stefan started. "Does this... Is this what Katherine was talking about? When we had her chained up in the basement, she said that you were stonger because of your blood. Did she mean that you're stonger because you were sired by an original?"

"Yes and no." Buffy said.

"Ok... Explain." Stefan said.

* * *

 ** _*Flashback*_**

Later that night, Buffy woke up and slipped out of her bed. She crept silently down the stairs and out of the house. She walked through the forest, her long white night dress dragging the ground, the fallen leaves crunching beneath her bare feet. She stopped once she had reached the center of the forest.

"Hello, love." Buffy looked behind her and there he stood.

"Klaus? Why are you... Why am I... What is going on?" Buffy asked, confused.

He walked closer until he stood mere inches away. "Shh... It will be ok. Everything is going to be ok."

"What..."

"Shh..." Klaus leaned down and gently kissed her lips. He then moved towards her neck and sank his fangs into her flesh. Buffy gasped in surprise and pain. Klaus drank from her, only stopping once he had drained almost all of her blood. He then slit his wrist and pressed it against her lips. "Drink, love." He grinned when she started to lick his bloody wound. "That's right. Drink up, love." Once he thought that she had, had enough, he removed his wrist. He kissed her lips softly. "This is the beggining of forever, Buffy." And with that, he quickly snapped her neck.

 ** _*End Flashback*_**

* * *

"Wow." Stefan said. "So he drained you almost completely dry?"

Buffy nodded. "Yes. So that's why I'm so strong. Well, that and I'm 865 years old."

* * *

"All right, Rosebud." Damon said, walking up to Rose. "I need some answers. Oh, please don't tell me you're crying 'cause your buddy Trevor lost his head."

"You always been this sensitive?" Rose asked.

"There's a little vampire switch you can just pfft, turn it off for this very reason. Takes the emotion out of it."

"Yeah, you switch yours, I'll switch mine."

"Is that a dig?"

"It's an observation. Being in love with Buffy must be... Difficult. Especially since she's Klaus's."

"I'm not in love with anyone."

"You wanna try that again?"

"Don't get on my bad side."

"Then show me your good side."

"How do I find Klaus?"

"Ask your girlfriend."

Damon sighed. "I'm asking you."

"You don't find Klaus. He finds you."

"Come on. Somebody's gotta know somebody who knows where he is, right?"

"Add another 200 somebodies to that, and you're still not even close. Again, you should ask Buffy."

"Ask Buffy, what?" Buffy asked, as she entered the room.

"Damon wants to know how to find Klaus." Rose explained.

Buffy whipped her head around to look at Damon. "Why? Are you that stupid? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"I just want to know where he is. Buffy... Do you know where he is?" Damon asked.

"No. And I hope he doesn't know where I am either. Willow did a spell. To make it harder to know my exact location."

"But you must know something."

"Just drop it, Damon." Buffy snapped. "Klaus isn't someone you want to mess with." She turned around and walked away.

"You got in touch with Elijah." Damon said, looking at Rose.

"Damon, you heard Buffy." Rose said. "Maybe you should listen to her and just let this go."

"Humor me." Damon said. "How'd you do it?"

"Through a very low somebody on the totem pole. A guy named Slater in Richmond."

"Perfect. I'll drive."

"No. You forget not all of us can do sun."

"Then you drive."

"Are you going to tell Buffy where we're going?"

"Nope. Come on."

* * *

Damon was drinking in the library. "I'm sorry about today." Rose said, as she joined him. "I didn't know that was gonna happen."

"I believe you." Damon said.

"I wish we could save Elena. I know that you want to. Buffy wants to. Buffy knows what Klaus is capable of."

"We will save Elena."

"You remind me of Trevor."

"Why? Why him?"

"Because he always talked a big game, he was always working an angle, but underneath it all, he was the best friend anyone could ever hope for."

"Hmm. Where'd that get him?"

"Dead. And my loyalty to him almost got me dead, too."

Damon poured her a glass of bourbon. "To friendship."

"You're right to fight it... The way you feel about her."

"And why is that?"

"Because if we want to survive, we need to not care about anyone."

"Caring gets you dead, huh?"

"It might just be time to turn the switch off on your emotions." Rose said biterly.

"I will if you will." Rose was suddenly standing in front of Damon. She leaned down and kissed him. After a few moments, Damon pulled away. "I can't... Rose... I can't."

"Because you love her." Rose said sadly.

"Yes." Damon admitted.

* * *

Damon walked into Buffy's room. "Hey."

Buffy looked at him from where she was laying on the bed. "Hey."

Damon used his vampire speed to rush over to the bed. He sat down deside of her. "Look, I'm sorry. You know, about earlier."

"It's fine, Damon."

"No, it's not. Look, I know how badly you want to protect Elena. I thought that if we could find Klaus... That if we knew where he was..."

"I know."

Damon sighed. "I really am sorry."

"I know. And I'm sorry, also. It's just... Klaus is not my favorite subject."

"It's understandable." Damon nodded. "So, Rose found out that we can destroy the curse."

"Really? How?"

"We need the moonstone, and a witch. Her sourse said that a witch should be able to figure out the rest. And since Bonnie isn't exactly the best witch... I was thinking..."

"Willow." Buffy agreed.

* * *

 _ ***I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading =)***_


	27. Martyr or Fighter?

"Have I mentioned how much of a fan I'm not of this plan?" Buffy asked, as she followed Damon and Stefan down the steps into the tomb.

"Only about a hundred times. But hey, what's one more?" Damon replied sarcastically. Buffy rolled her eyes but remained silent. "Let's do it." Damon said to Stefan. They both grabbed the stone slab and pulled it away from the opening of the tomb.

"Please..." Katherine said, appearing from out of the shadows. "Come on in. There's plenty of room for all of us."

"I'd rather poke my eyes out." Damon retorted, grinning.

"Mmm, they're such pretty eyes."

"We're here for the moonstone." Stefan explained.

"Feel like handing it over?" Damon asked.

"Tell you what. Hmm. You get Buffy's witch to hocus pocus me out of here, and you can have whatever you want." Katherine said, looking towards Buffy.

"I thought you liked it in here." Buffy said, stepping forward. "Nice and safe, where Klaus can't get to you."

"I've had time to reconsider."

"Meaning you're hungry." Damon said.

"I'm starving, Damon. And dirty. But above all, I'm bored. At least running from Klaus isn't boring. Right, Buffy? So, here's the deal... You get me out of here, you get the moonstone and I'll disappear from Mystic Falls forever. Let me know what you decide." She held up the moonstone as she turned around and walked back into the shadows.

Buffy groaned. "I knew this plan sucked!"

"Yeah, that could've went better." Damon sighed.

* * *

"You don't believe her, do you?" Elena asked. Stefan, Elena, Buffy and Damon were all standing in Elena's kitchen talking about what had happened with Katherine.

"No, of course not." Damon rolled his eyes. "We just want the moonstone."

"According to Rose's friend Slater, there's a way to destroy the spell that Klaus wants to break." Stefan explained.

"No spell, no doppelganger sacrifice. So ergo, you live."

"How do you destroy it?" Elena asked.

"By releasing it from the moonstone." Buffy answered.

"How do you guys even know this is gonna work?"

" 'Cause we have a crafty witch on our side." Damon bragged.

"You discussed it with Bonnie?"

"No." Buffy shook her head. "I called Willow. She's agreed to do anything she could to help us."

"It's Katherine who has the moonstone. She's not gonna give it to you."

"We're gonna get it from her." Stefan said.

"Well, what he means to say is that Buffy will pry it from her cold dead hand if she has to." Damon grinned and winked at Buffy.

"Willow just needs to find a way to release the seal long enough for us to get in, get the moonstone, and get out in time for her to return it." Stefan said.

"Wow. I mean, it sounds like you guys already have it all planned out." Elena said.

"Yep. We're awesome." Damon said.

"Except for one thing. I don't want you to do it."

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say huh?" Buffy said

"Elena, we don't have a choice." Stefan said.

"What about Klaus?" Elena asked.

"We'll find him but after we get the moonstone."

"Is that before or after he kills everyone that I care about, including the three of you?"

"He won't kill me." Buffy said. " It'll probably be worse."

"Elena, if we can despell the moonstone, we can save your life." Stefan said.

"I know. Everybody keeps saying that." Elena turned and walked out of the kitchen.

* * *

"All right. Good news." Buffy announced, as she walked into the library. "I just got off the phone with Willow. She says there might be a way to lower the tomb spell long enough for you to get in there and grab the moonstone from Katherine. Only problem is... She can't get here. At least, not right now. So... She's going to guide Bonnie through it." Buffy looked over at Bonnie. "Which is why I texted you."

"How? It took both her and her Grams last time, and look what happened to her." Jeremy said.

"I'm well aware of what happened. I've learned a few new things." Bonnie assured him.

"Bonnie..."

Bonnie ignored Jeremy and looked at Stefan. "How will you get it?"

"She hasn't been feeding. She's weaker. We're not." Stefan said, motioning towards Damon and Buffy. Damon held up the glass of blood he was drinking.

"You wouldn't be underestimating her, would you?"

"It's a plan. Is it perfect?" Damon scoffed. "What plan is?"

"Let me do it. I've got my ring. I can get in, get out, no spells necessary." Jeremy said.

"Gee thanks, you 16 year old child. Why didn't we think about that? Why are you even here?"

"Maybe I can help better the plan." Bonnie said. "Do you have anything that belongs to Katherine?"

"Yeah. " Stefan ran upstairs. He returned with a photograph of Katherine. "This belonged to Katherine. I found it with her things after I thought she was dead. But it was hers." He handed it over to Bonnie. Bonnie took it and put it in a bowl on the table. She dipped her fingers into a glass of water and let the drops fall onto the picture. The picture caught flame and begun to burn. She closed her eyes and started chanting.

"What will this do?" Damon asked.

"I can turn the metal into ash. Blow the ashes on her and it'll incapacitate her for a minute or two. Long enough for you to get the stone and get out." Bonnie explained. Once the flames died out Bonnie poured the ashes out onto the table.

"We better get the torches." Stefan said.

"Alaric's stake gun's in my trunk." Damon said. "Bonnie?"

"Go ahead. I'm almost done."

"All right. Let's go." Buffy said.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late. I had to grab the grimoire from home." Bonnie said, as she joined Stefan, Buffy and Damon outside the tomb.

"Jeremy couldn't take the pressure, huh?" Damon asked.

"He said he'd be here."

Damon's phone started ringing. "Not a good time, Rose." He said. Buffy stopped and looked questioningly at Damon.

"Don't be angry with me." Rose pleaded.

"Why, what'd you do?"

"You and Buffy need to get to Richmond immediately."

"Tell me."

"It's... It's Elena. She asked me to bring her to Slater. She's... She's on a suicide mission! She got a message to one of Slater's contacts."

"What was the message?"

"To tell Klaus where she's at."

"We're on our way." Damon hung up and looked at Buffy. "I'm going to kill that girl."

"Not if I get to her first."

* * *

Elena was drinking a glass of water. She looked across the room at Slater's girlfriend, Alice but Alice was looking at something behind Elena. Elena turned around and slammed into Damon and Buffy.

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked. She turned and glared at Rose. "You called them?"

"I'm sorry, Elena." Rose said.

"You said that you understood."

"She lied." Damon said.

"Damon Salvatore." Alice gushed. "And Buffy Summers! No way!"

"Get rid of her." Buffy said. Rose grabbed Alice's arm and pulled her into another room. Buffy turned her attention back to Elena. "Come on. We're leaving."

"No." Elena said.

"I said we're leaving. Now!"

"I'm not going with you."

"You do not get to make decisions anymore."

"When have I ever made a decision? Stefan and Damon do that for me. And now I guess you do too? This is my decision."

"Whose going to save your life while you're out making decisions?" Damon asked.

"You're not listening to me. I don't want to be saved. Not if it means that Klaus is going to kill every single person that I love."

"God, this whole martyr thing is getting really old, Elena." Buffy said. " Now, get your ass out the door before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself."

"No."

Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed ahold of one of Elena's arms. "I said move, now." Buffy ground out, her teeth clenched. Elena jerked her arm away and threw a punch. Buffy caught her fist. "Don't ever do that again."

* * *

"Time to go." Damon announced, walking back into the room. "Alice is soundly sleeping. And won't remember a moment of this horribly stupid day."

"I told you, I'm not going." Elena said.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Buffy asked. "Klaus doesn't care about your family! He'll kill all of them. Every last one, whether you're alive or dead! It doesn't matter to him. So you handing yourself over on a silver platter... It won't stop him, Elena. You say that you love your family? Then prove it! Fight for them. Trust me and Damon and Stefan. We will stop this ritual. We'll keep you and your family alive."

"You're not strong enough." Elena said. "None of you are. Buffy, Elijah almost killed you."

Buffy shook her head. "No. We talked about this. Klaus doesn't want me dead. Sure Elijah beat me down, I forgot how strong he is. It happens. I've just got to get my strength back up to where it used to be."

"None of you can save me."

"Yes we can."

"No, you can't. At least this way... I can save everyone I love."

"Have you not been listening to a word I've said? You sacrificing yourself is not going to save anyone! With you out of the way, it's just going to make it easier for Klaus to kill them."

The doors were thrown open suddenly and three men walked into the apartment. "We're here to meet the doppelganger."

"Thank you for coming." Elena said. She started to walk toward them.

Damon caught her arm and held it in a bruising grip. "I will break your arm." He threatened.

"There's nothing here for you." Buffy told the men.

The third man cried out in agony and fell to the floor. Elijah stood behind him, holding his heart. He sped toward the other two men and looked at each of them. Rose panicked upon seeing Elijah alive and sped out of the apartment.

"I killed you." Damon said, shocked. "You were dead."

"For centuries now." Elijah admitted. "Who are you?" He asked the men.

"Who are you?" The leader asked.

"I'm Elijah."

"We were going to bring her to you. For Klaus. She's the doppelganger. I don't know how she exists, but she does. Klaus will want to see her."

"Does anyone else know that you're here?"

"No."

Elijah grinned. "Well, then, you have been incredibly helpful." Elijah shoved his hands into their chests and ripped out their hearts. He dropped them onto the floor. He looked at Buffy. "I'll see you soon." And with that he left.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked Elena to her door. "Thank you for bringing me home." Elena said.

"Well, your ride left you. We didn't wanna leave you stranded." Damon said.

"She was just scared. She didn't mean to run."

"Yes she did."

"She's been running for 500 years, Elena." Buffy said.

"I can't believe Elijah's alive." Elena said. " Why do you think he killed those two vampires and just let us go?"

"If I had a dollar for everytime some evil vampire surprised me..." Buffy said, glancing over at Damon. Elena moved to open the door but Buffy caught her arm. "What you did today was incredibly stupid."

"Actually, the only thing that was stupid was that I got caught. I don't question why you two and Stefan and everyone else tries so hard to save me. You shouldn't question why I would try to save all of you. Goodnight, ok?"

Just as Elena was about to go inside, Jeremy opened the door. "What?" Damon asked.

"It's Stefan."

* * *

Elena ran down the stairs into the tomb, Buffy and Damon right behind her. "Stefan. Stefan!" She called. She looked into the tomb, waiting for Stefan to appear. When he didn't, she started to walk in. Damon grabbed ahold of her and shoved her against the wall.

"Don't you dare." He gritted out.

"Stefan's in there, Damon! How could you two let this happen?" She looked at him and Buffy.

"What are you talking about? We were too busy saving you from your crazy kamikaze mission." Buffy said.

"Ugh! You didn't even have to go after the moonstone in the first place!"

"It was the right call, Elena." Damon said.

"The right call? How is any of this the right call? Damon, let go of me. Damon, let go of me. Let go of me! Let go of me. Please." She struggled against him, hitting him with her fists but he didn't let go.

"Are you done?" Damon asked, calmly. He let her go and she moved towards the tomb again. Damon and Buffy blocked the entrance. "Don't." She glared at them and left. "Of all the idiot plans, Stefan." Damon groaned, as Stefan appeared.

"Yeah." Stefan nodded.

"We'll find a way to get you out." Buffy said.

"No, that's all right. I'll... I'll handle it myself. Bonnie has the moonstone. Work with her, try to figure out how to despell it."

"You martyr yourself into a tomb and we get to partner with a semi- competent witch. Wonderful." Damon said.

"Keep Elena away from here."

"Yeah. 'Cause that'll be easy." Buffy said sarcastically.

"Promise me. No matter what happens. You'll both protect her."

Buffy and Damon nodded. "Promise." They both said.

"Tell that skank... She hurts you... She'll be begging me to kill her." Buffy growled.

"I heard that!" Katherine called out from somewhere in the tomb.

"Good!" Buffy called back. "Take care, Stefan."

* * *

* _Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading =)*_


	28. Jules

Buffy, Elena, Willow and Bonnie were all gathered in Elena's bedroom. "Now that you've got this back, what are you gonna do with it?" Elena asked, holding up the moonstone.

"Right now, it's what's binding the sun and moon curse. If we can figure out a way to remove the spell from the stone, then the stone becomes useless." Willow explained.

"And according to Katherine, Klaus becomes vengeful."

"Maybe. If he finds out." Bonnie said.

"Can't this wait?" Elena asked.

"Wait? Elena, you're not serious?" Buffy said.

"Stefan is stuck in the tomb with Katherine. We've got to get him out."

"Stefan wants us to focus on this. He's made that very clear."

"Well, don't listen to him. He thinks that he's protecting me, but he's wrong."

"I'm taking Stefan's side with this one." Bonnie said. "We're not gonna let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual." Bonnie took the moonstone out of Elena's hands.

"Elena, listen to me, Stefan can take care of himself. Katherine won't touch him. Ok? We will find a way to get him out of there, but for now this is our main focus." Buffy said.

Before Elena had a chance to argue, Jeremy walked into the room. "What are you guys arguing about?" Jeremy asked.

"Not arguing about anything." Bonnie said. She slid the moonstone into her bag and stood up, leaving the bag on Elena's bed. "I need a coffee."

"Yeah. Me too." Buffy nodded. "Willow?"

"Sure." Willow walked out behind Buffy, leaving Elena alone.

* * *

Bonnie, Buffy and Willow walked out of the kitchen just as Elena walked down the stairs. "Where are you going?" Bonnie asked.

"Um... To see Stefan." Elena stuttered.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Really? Tell your face."

"Are you serious?"

"She took the moonstone." Jeremy called out, as he walked down the stairs.

"How did you..." Elena asked.

"We tested you." Buffy said.

"And you failed." Willow added.

"Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him. I can't let that happen." Elena said, walking past Buffy, Bonnie and Willow. She opened the door and hit an invisible barrier. She turned and glared at Willow and Bonnie. "What did you do?"

"It's for the best, Elena." Buffy said. "I can't get you to understand that your deal won't matter to Klaus. You don't trust us to help you. You're too focused on your suicide mission. So... Now you're going to stay put."

* * *

"You trapped her in the house?" Stefan asked, stunned.

"It was all Buffy's idea." Damon said, pointing to the blonde beside of him.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "It's for the best. Trust me." Stefan didn't look convinced. "Elena's on a martyr tear, Stefan."

"Yeah, one that rivals your greatest hits." Damon smirked. "You should be glad Willow's here. Otherwise, I don't know if me and the other witch would be getting along so well."

"Here." Buffy said, holding up a backpack. "We brought you this. It's a care package... Candles, lanterns..." She tossed him the bag, which he caught. "And... Lunch." She held up a water bottle filled with blood.

"Give that to me, I'm just gonna have to share it with her." Stefan said.

Buffy and Damon glanced behind Stefan to see Katherine lingering in the shadows. "Yeah. Forgot about that."

"You know, you three are surprisingly calm considering Klaus will hunt you down and kill you if you mess up his little plan." Katherine said. "Well, he won't kill Buffy. He'll probably make her watch as he kills you two."

"I've been dead before." Damon replied. "I got over it."

"Once we deal with this moonstone, we'll figure a way to get you out." Buffy said to Stefan.

"Don't worry about me." Stefan shrugged. "Just make sure Elena's safe."

"Well, she's not exactly making that an easy job."

* * *

"You should really lock your door." Damon said, as he and Buffy walked into Elena's house.

Elena was curled up on the couch. She looked up at them and glared. "Really? You're still mad?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, come on, pouty." Damon taunted. "At least give us 2 points for ingenuity."

"Do you think this is funny?" Elena asked.

"Yes, Elena. We find hilarity in the lengths that we have to go to to repeatedly save your life." Buffy sarcastically answered.

Elena rolled her eyes. "What did Stefan say about this?"

"He had a good laugh." Damon said.

"And what did he say about Elijah still being alive?"

"Yeah, that." Damon walked over and sat down on the couch beside of Elena. "We didn't tell him."

"Why not?"

"Well, A: he can't do anything about it, and B... What I just said."

"Where's Bonnie?" Buffy asked, looking around.

"I thought she was meeting you two." Jeremy said, walking into the room.

"No. She's on moonstone duty with Willow. And we're on... Elena patrol." Buffy pointed to Damon and herself.

"And who's on Tyler Lockwood and the full moon?"

"Vampire barbie asked me if she could handle it and I said why not?" Damon shrugged. "I figured if she screwed it up, he'd bite her and then we'll be rid of two of our problems."

"Hold on a second. Tonight's the full moon?" Elena asked.

"Yep." Damon said. He grabbed his cell phone as it started to ring, and walked out of the room.

"But you're too absorbed with all of your suicidal tendencies to notice." Buffy said.

"Change of plans." Damon said, as he walked back into the room. "You baby-sit." He pointed to Jeremy.

"What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"I'll explain in the car." They walked towards the door and Damon paused and looked back at Elena. "Hey, you know, you should get out, enjoy the sun. Oh, wait. You can't." He grinned. Elena tossed a pillow at his head. Jeremy laughed and sat down on Elena.

"So what's going on?" Buffy asked once her and Damon were in his car.

"Alaric called. Some girl from Florida is in town. She's asking questions about Mason." Damon explained.

"Crap." Buffy muttered. " 'Cause that's just what we need right now."

"I know. Alaric's at the Grill, we're gonna meet him there. Figure out how to deal with this."

"All right." Buffy nodded.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked into the Grill. Thay spotted Alaric and made their way towards him, sitting down at his table. "Anything new?" Buffy asked.

Alaric was about to say no, when a woman walked in and stopped Matt. "Hey, excuse me. Uh, crazy question. Do you know Tyler Lockwood?"

"Hmm. Mason's mystery woman." Damon commented.

"Well, she's not subtle." Buffy muttered.

"Where is Mason, anyway?" Alaric asked.

"Decomposing in his truck." Damon answered.

"Shh..." Buffy said, listening to Jules.

"If you see him, let him know, please." Jules said.

"So you think she's a werewolf?" Alaric asked.

"Well, I hope not, being that it's a full moon, Alaric." Damon said.

"We should definitely find out." Buffy said.

"I agree." Damon pulled a plastic baggie out of his pocket.

"And what is that?" Alaric asked.

"Wolfsbane."

"Ok, so we need a plan." Buffy said.

"A plan?"

"You can't just walk over to her and shove the wolfsbane in her face, Damon!" Damon looked down sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his neck. "That's exactly what you were planning on doing, wasn't it?"

Damon scoffed. "Oh, please! I'd have a little more subtlety than that. Give me some credit."

"I've got a plan." Alaric said.

"Really?" Damon asked. "Well, let's hear it."

"Just follow my lead, and be ready." He stood up and walked over to the bar where Jules was sitting.

"Follow my lead and be ready? What the hell does that mean?"

"Just watch, Alaric." Buffy said. "Wait for our move."

"I hope he doesn't screw this up." Damon muttered. He and Buffy focused on Alaric and Jules.

"Well, hello." Alaric slurred, as he sat down. "Can I have a scotch and whatever this beautiful woman is drinking?"

"Oh, no, one's my limit." Jules said.

"He's playing the drunk. Nice." Damon laughed.

"Oh, come on, it's not like I'm a freak." Alaric grinned. "Just being friendly to somebody who's new in town."

"Ok, if you insist." Jules smiled. "How do you know I'm new?"

"Because I have never seen you here before. And I am here every night."

"There's your opening." Buffy said to Damon. "Go."

"Excuse me, is this guy bothering you?" Damon asked Jules, once he reached the bar.

"I'm not bothering anybody." Alaric insisted.

"Perfect. Well... Do it elsewhere."

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Alaric asked. "Shouldn't you be with her?"

"That's none of your business." Damon glared.

"It is whenever you're shamelessly hitting on this girl right in front of me."

Right on cue, Buffy walked up behind Damon. "What's going on here?" She asked.

"You're boyfriend's hitting on another girl." Alaric pointed to Damon.

"What?"

"No. Alaric, here, was bothering her. I was just trying to make him leave." Damon explained.

Buffy sighed. "Why do you always have to pick on him?" She pointed to Alaric. "You know he has a drinking problem."

"Why do you always have to take up for him?"

"He's my bestfriend!"

"Yeah? Well, maybe you should take your bestfriend somewhere else!"

"Whatever." Buffy walked over to Alaric and drapped one of his arms across her shoulders. "Come on, Ric. Let's get you something to eat and some water." She walked Alaric back over to their table.

"Sorry about that." Damon apologized, turning his attention back to Jules. "Don't worry, he's harmless. You know, he's sort of the town drunk and, you know, when we get tired of him, we just put him in a cab and send him back where he came from."

While Damon had Jules's attention, Alaric walked back over to the bar and poured the wolfsbane into her drink. She turned around and looked at him. "Forgot my drink." Alaric held up the drink he had ordered earlier.

"Buffy." Damon called out. "He found his way back to the bar."

"Please don't talk about me like I'm not here."

"Why are you here?"

"Thank you for the drink." Jules said to Alaric, holding up her drink. Alaric smiled, picked his drink up and turned around. Jules set her drink back down. "Do you know of any good places to stay at around here?" She asked Damon.

"There's a B&B down the road, then there's a motel off of I-9, but, you know, if you ask me, I think it's kind of a mistake."

"No frills is fine. I'm just here for the night. Long story. Looking for my friend."

"Oh. Who?"

"Mason Lockwood."

"I know Mason."

"You do?"

"Yeah. He's a great guy."

"He's missing."

"What do you mean? Like... Missing missing?"

"How do you know Mason?"

"Friends of friends." Damon said nonchalantly. He held up his drink and gestured to hers. She looked down at it but didn't pick it up.

"God, this is going swell." Buffy said sarcastically. She and Alaric were watching from their table.

"I agree." Alaric sighed.

"You know, listen, I'm really tight with the Sheriff, and if there's anything I can do to help locate Mason, I will." Damon said. "He's a great guy. And after his brother's funeral, he stuck around and... And helped his nephew and..."

"Tyler?" Jules asked.

"Yep. Mason was with him the whole time. Helped him through all that grief. You haven't touched your drink."

Jules looked down at her drink. "You know, I'm not much of a drinker. I should get going."

"Oh, come on. Look, one drink."

Jules shrugged. "It'll help me sleep."

Damon held up his drink and Jules held up hers. "To sleep." They clinked their glasses together.

Jules raised her glass to her lips, sniffed it, and slammed it back down onto the bar. "You fool."

"Uh oh." Buffy said.

"What?" Alaric asked.

"Survey says... Werewolf." Buffy rushed over to the bar, Alaric right behind her.

"You think you're cleaver, don't you?" Jules asked.

"What do you want with Mason Lockwood?" Damon asked, narrowing his eyes.

"He's my friend."

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that you probably won't find him."

"And why not?"

"You should leave town." Buffy said.

"Are you threatening me? On a full moon? How stupid are you?"

"Oh, I'm not threatening you." Buffy smiled sweetly. "I was just being nice and giving you the oppertunity to leave before you manage to piss me off."

"Damon, how about that second round?" Alaric asked.

"I think we're done, Ric." Damon said.

"You think I'm afraid of you?" Buffy asked.

"No, I don't. That's your vampire arrogance." Jules said. "You should be. I sniffed your boyfriend out the moment I entered this bar. Along with your pathetic wolfsbane. See, I've been at this a long time. And any other night of the month the situation would be reversed, but tonight... Is not the night to pick a fight with me."

"You may have been at this a long time, but I've been at it a hell of a lot longer than you. And it's not my 'vampire arrogance' that's stopping me from being afraid of you... It's the fact that I know I can take you."

"You've been marked." Jules threatened.

Buffy reached out and grabbed Jules's wrist in a bruising grip. "Don't think for one second that you can threaten us just because tonight's a full moon." Buffy applied pressure and Jules winced. "The full moon doesn't make a difference as far as I'm concerned. Vampires don't need a full moon to become strong. There's two of us and one of you. You do the math. And just in case you haven't noticed... I'm a hell of a lot stronger than a normal vampire." Buffy tightened her grip on Jules's wrist and grinned smugly whenever she heard a crack. Jules whimpered. "If you were smart, you'd leave town. Tonight." Buffy let go of Jules. Jules craddled her wrist with her other hand and walked out of the Grill.

"Well, that was... Fun." Damon commented dryly.

"You know this isn't over, right?" Buffy asked. "She's not going to let this go."

Damon sighed. "Yeah. I know."

* * *

Later that night, Buffy and Damon walked into the boarding house. "Well, at least Stefan's somewhere safe." Buffy said.

"Oh, yeah. 'Cause Katherine's as safe as a kitten." Damon retorted.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean." They walked into the library and saw Rose sitting in a chair, next to the window. "Just can't stay away, can you?"

"Well, neither of you answer your phones." Rose said.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"Hmm. Shocker." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Just admit it. You don't have anywhere else to go."

"I'm sorry about Elena. I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't know she had a death wish. But I called you guys. I tried to make it right, ok? I'm sorry."

"And..."

Rose sighed. "And I... I have nowhere else to go."

"There's nothing here for you, Rose." Damon said.

"Well, then..."

Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking ended the conversation. Buffy, Damon and Rose ran into the living-room. One of the windows was shattered. "Oh... Not good." Buffy groaned. Damon grabbed a sword off of the wall. They heard growling and looked over to see a werewolf standing in front of Damon. "Damon!" Buffy shouted. The werewolf turned and locked eyes with Buffy. Snarling, it made a lunge for her, but Rose jumped in front of her at the last second.

The werewolf tore into Rose's shoulder. "Ahh!" Rose cried out in pain. Damon rushed over and stabbed the wolf in its side. The wolf let go of Rose and ran out of the house.

Buffy dropped down beside of Rose. "How bad is it?" She asked.

"It hurts." Rose said.

"It's healing." Buffy said, amazed.

"Oh my God." Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought a werewolf bite was fatal. I thought..." Rose cried.

"It's all right." Buffy soothed, as she hugged Rose. "You're gonna be ok." She looked over Rose's shoulder to Damon. The look on her face said it all, she didn't believe what she was saying.

* * *

Buffy walked into Elena's room. "All right, look. I know you're still pissed off at me for keeping you hostage here all day." Elena looked at Buffy, waiting for her to continue. "So.. To make up for it... I brought you a present."

"What kind of present?" Elena asked.

Buffy leaned against the doorframe and Stefan walked into the room. "Hi." He said. Elena ran over to him and threw her arms around him, hugging him.

"So... You like it?" Buffy asked, grinning.

"Buffy... I... Thank you." Elena said sincerly.

"Eh." Buffy shrugged. "Thank Willow. She's the witch after all." Elena grinned and looked back at Stefan. "I'm just gonna..." Buffy backed up towards the door and left.

* * *

"I talked to Caroline." Damon said, as Buffy entered the library. "She said Tyler was all locked up."

"So it was Jules." Buffy said. "That stupid bitch!"

"We knew she wasn't gonna let it go."

"Yeah." Buffy sat down beside of Damon. "Rose all healed?"

"Yeah. Seems that way. I'm happy the legend was fake. Maybe werewolves made it up to keep vampires away."

"Yeah. Maybe." Buffy said, unconvinced. "Damon..."

"Hmm?" Buffy leaned over and kissed Damon. When she pulled away Damon looked at her questioningly. "What was that for?"

"Jules was aiming for you...She was going after you first... I thought... If Rose hadn't..."

"Hey... I'm fine."

"I can't lose you." Buffy said honestly. At a loss for words, Damon pulled her to him, kissing her passionately.

* * *

 _*Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it =)*_


	29. Prepare Yourself

_***Buffy's Dream***_

 _Buffy looked up at the house that stood before her. "What are we doing here?" She asked._

 _"Do you not remember what happened here? What happened on this night?"_

 _Buffy looked confused for a moment, and then it hit her. All of a sudden she could smell it. Blood. And she could hear the screams. She looked back at him, shaking her head vigorously. "No. You didn't... Why did you bring me here?"_

 _"Because, Love. You need to see this."_

 _"Why?"_

 _He walked closer and reached out to cup her face. "To remember who you are. Who you really are."_

 _Buffy turned away from him, looking back at the house. She closed her eyes for a moment, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to see. Opening them, she started walking toward the house. Once she entered the smell of blood, fear and pain became almost unbearable._

 _"This way, Love." He pointed to a room on the right._

 _Buffy followed him into the room and gasped at what she saw. Standing in the middle of the room was another Buffy and Klaus. "What... What is this?"_

 _"Shh... Just watch." He pointed to the middle of the room._

 _"Just tell me why!" The other Buffy cried. "Why do you hate me so much? You treat Faith like a daughter. You show her love and kindness. And you treat me like a burden. I want to know why!"_

 _"You want to know why I hate you? Is that what you're asking for?" Hank Summers asked._

 _"Yes."_

 _"Fine. I'll tell you. I hate you because you're not mine."_

 _"Wha... What?"_

 _"You are not my daughter! You're whore of a mother spread her legs for another. She thought that I didn't know. Thought that I wouldn't find out. But I knew. I saw them together. I saw the looks that they gave one another."_

 _"Who was he?"_

 _"Your father?" The other Buffy nodded. "My older brother. Rupert Giles Summers. There. Now you know. I hate you because you're that bastards daughter! Not mine. I had to allow you to live here, had to raise you, and you're not even mine! My dear brother couldn't claim you. How would that look? What would his wife say?"_

 _The other Buffy had tears running down her face. "It wasn't my fault. I never knew!"_

 _"That doesn't matter!" Hank snarled. " I had to feed you. I had to cloth you. I had to introduce you to the public as my daughter. He never offered to help pay for anything. No, he would rather act as if nothing's wrong. As if he had done nothing. He would rather pretend as if I'm not raising his bastard child!"_

 _"You beat me. My entire life, you never loved me. Never said a kind word to me. Not once."_

 _"If you're expecting me to apologize, don't bother. I am not going to do so." The other Buffy was shaking with uncontrollable anger. Her face suddenly changed and she growled low in her throat. Hank gasped and tried to back away. "What are you?" He asked, looking at her in fear and disgust._

 _"Vampire." The other Buffy said before she rushed forward and sank her teeth into his neck. She dropped the body to the floor and looked up at him, her mouth covered in blood._

 _He walked over to her and looked down into her eyes. "How was it?"_

 _"I killed him."_

 _He nodded and glanced down at the body by his feet. "Yes. Your first kill. How do you feel?"_

 _"I'm still hungry."_

 _He chuckled. "You're newly turned. That's normal. We'll find you someone else to eat, hmm?"_

 _"Do we always have to kill people?"_

 _"No. Not always. We can take just enough and then compel them to forget. I'll teach you all of that. Ok?"_

 _The other Buffy looked up at him and nodded. "Ok."_

 _Suddenly, the other Buffy and Klaus disappeared, as did Hank's body. However, the smell of blood still lingered. "I can still smell it." Buffy said. "The blood. The fear. I can still taste it."_

 _"This is who you were meant to be." Klaus said. "This is who you were always meant to be."_

 _"A murderer?"_

 _"No. A vampire."_

 _"Why did you bring me here? Why show me this?"_

 _"You've been suppressing your true nature, Love."_

 _"Why? Because I'm not killing people?"_

 _"Because you're not feeding off of them! Don't you remember what it feels like? To smell their fear? To taste it in their blood? And then make them forget it ever happened?"_

 _"I remember."_

 _"You need to prepare yourself, Love."_

 _Buffy narrowed her eyes. "Prepare myself for what?"_

 _"To come back to me."_

 _ ***End Dream.***_

* * *

Buffy made her way downstairs, the dream and Klaus's voice still playing in her head. She tried to shake it off and headed toward the library. She walked in and found Rose sitting on the couch alone, staring off into space. "I see you're still here." Buffy commented. Rose didn't move. Buffy walked over and sat down next to Rose. "Hey, everything ok?"

"I was born in 1450. That makes me 560 years old." Rose said, more to herself than to Buffy.

"Oook... Well if you're trying to impress me, you'll have to do better than that because I've got you beat on the whole age thing."

"So I can die. I've lived long enough."

"Is this a maudlin thing? 'Cause if so... You might want to shut it down around Damon." Buffy sighed. "Ok. What's going on, Rose?"

"The bite is fatal. The legend is true."

"You probably just need to drink more blood. Have you had any today?" Rose shook her head no. "See, that's the problem." Buffy walked out of the room. When she returned she held a glass of blood in her hand. "Here." She said, handing Rose the glass of blood. "Drink up." Rose took the glass. "Blood heals."

Rose took a small sip. "Yeah. It does feel like it's working."

"Let's have a look." Buffy pulled Rose's shirt away from her shoulder to reveal the bite wound. The wound was much larger than before and it looked infected.

"How is it?" Rose asked.

"Definitely... Better." Buffy lied. "Right, Elena?"

"Umm..." Elena stuttered shocked, both from being caught and from the severity of Rose's wound. Elena was standing in the doorway of the library. Rose turned around and looked at Elena expectantly. "It's not bad."

"Where's Stefan?" Buffy asked.

"He left. I need you and Damon to talk to him. He's convinced that he has to find Isobel. But I think that's going to upset Elijah."

"No can do." Damon said, as he walked into the room. "I'm with Stefan on this one. But if you could play nurse for a little while..." He grabbed ahold of Buffy's arm and pulled her toward the doorway.

"It's not necessary." Rose protested.

"It is necessary." Buffy said.

"Elena's a do-gooder. It's in her nature. She just can't resist." Damon said, as he and Buffy walked out of the room.

Elena smiled sadly at Rose and then followed after Buffy and Damon. "Hey." Elena called. Buffy turned around to face her. "Is she going to die?"

Buffy looked away sadly and nodded. "Probably." She whispered. "The wolf bite caused some kind of infection. It's getting worse."

"Like poison?"

"Something like that."

"I'm sorry."

Buffy nodded and looked away. Damon looked back at Elena and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Death happens. We come, we go. Sooner she dies, the better. It's gloomy as hell in here." He and Buffy turned and walked out.

* * *

Buffy and Damon walked into the Grill and immediately spotted Jules. She was sitting at a table, just like Alaric said whenever he called Damon. "Well, would you look at that. The bitch is still here." Buffy commented dryly.

"Not for long." Damon said. He and Buffy started to walk over to Jules, but Stefan blocked their path. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been waiting for you." Stefan said. "Although I wasn't expecting you to be here." He looked at Buffy.

"That bitch tried to kill both Damon and myself and instead she poisoned Rose. Rose has been on the run for 500 years. She deserves to know what it's like to not live in fear. She doesn't deserve to die because some wolf bitch bit her. Jules is going to tell me how to cure her or I'm going to rip her heart out." Buffy said.

"Listen, there's a lot of people here."

"Well, damn. There goes our plan to rip her spleen through her back." Damon said sarcastically.

"We're not stupid, Stefan." Buffy said. "If it looks like we're going to have to resort to torture, we'll take her back to the house."

"Listen. I know you're upset about Rose." Stefan said.

"Yes, I am upset. I know that sometimes vampires die. But this time it really sucks. No pun intended. Now, I'm going to have a friendly chat with ladywolf." Buffy walked away from Stefan and sat down at Jules's table. Damon followed behind her and sat next to her.

"Well. If it isn't the two I meant to kill." Jules said without looking up. "I'll have to get that right next time."

"Next time? You think there's going to be a next time?" Buffy asked. "You won't live to see another full moon. Unless... You tell us how to cure a wolf bite. And then I won't kill you."

"Promise?"

Buffy clenched her fist and jaw. "Yes." She gritted out.

"Bite me." Jules smiled as she got up. Buffy growled and caught her arm in a vice grip. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Then you are very, very stupid." Damon said.

"I agree." Buffy said, nodding to Damon. "You're very stupid. You should be afraid of me. I'm stronger than a normal vampire, it's daylight and there's no full moon tonight. Add it all up and it spells, you're screwed."

"How's your friend? Rose. Is that her name? Have the chills started? The unbearable pain." Jules asked.

Buffy tightened her grip, causing Jules to wince. "If there's a cure, tell us. I mean, I can torture the answer out of you. Or, you could just tell me. Your choice."

"Did I mention the dementia? It'll eat away at her brain. Soon she'll be rabid."

"You never shut up do you? What part of 'give us a cure' do you not understand?"

"You want a cure? I'll tell you the only cure that exists. Take a stake and drive it through her heart."

Buffy stared at Jules for a few minutes. "Watch your back." She growled, as she let her go.

* * *

Buffy and Damon returned home to find the front door wide open. "That can't be good." Buffy muttered. They walked into the house and found Elena clutching a stake. Elena turned around and screamed. "You ok?"

"Where's Rose?" Damon asked, as he looked around.

"I don't know." Elena said.

"Yep. Definitely not good." Buffy said.

* * *

"Hi." Damon said, walking up to Liz. Buffy walked next to him, while Elena hung back with the crowd.

"Thanks for coming." Liz said.

"No problem. We were close by. Liz, what happened?"

"A vampire. Luckily one of my deputies discovered the body before anyone else saw him."

"You have to secure the area." Buffy said.

Liz nodded. "Don't cause a panic, but let's move this party into the cafeteria." She called out to her deputies. "I'll take the east side of the school, you two go west?" She said to Damon and Buffy.

"Sure." Damon agreed and Buffy nodded.

They walked back over to Elena, who was leaving a message for Stefan on his voicemail. "Hey, Stefan, it's me. I don't know where you are, but please call me. It's important." She hung up and looked over at Buffy and Damon. "Hey. Have you heard from him? Do you know what he's up to?"

"Baby brother's not exactly out priority right now." Damon said.

"Take this." Buffy said, handing Elena a stake. "Come on, let's go."

"How are we going to find her? There's people everywhere." Elena said.

"If I can get away from the crowd, I can track her." Buffy said. "All of this blood and all of these people are making it difficult." They walked away from the crowds and Buffy stopped. She closed her eyes and blocked out all of the noise going on around her. She took a deep breath. Her eyes snapped open. "This way." She took off running, with Damon and Elena following behind. They heard a girl scream and just as they arrived, they found Rose feeding. "Rose, Stop!" Rose let go of the girl and rushed toward Buffy. Buffy waited until Rose got close enough and then she grabbed onto her shoulders and flipped Rose. Buffy slammed Rose onto the ground, rolling on top of her, Buffy pinned her there. "Rose, Rose! It's me. It's Buffy. It's Buffy. It's Buffy. Calm down! It's Buffy."

Rose stopped struggling and looked around. Her face returned to normal. Her eyes found the body of the girl she had been feeding on. "Did I do this?" Rose asked. "No! I didn't mean to." She sobbed. She looked up at Buffy, crying. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I never wanted to hurt anybody."

"I know, I know." Buffy nodded.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Come on, let's get you home." Buffy stood up.

"No, I don't have a home. I haven't had a home in so long!" Buffy tried to help her up, but Rose fell back to the ground screaming. "Oh, make it stop! Please, make it stop!"

Buffy looked to Damon, with tears in her eyes. Damon nodded and walked over. He bent down and scooped Rose up in his arms. Buffy looked at Elena and motioned toward Damon's car.

* * *

Once they arrived back home, Damon placed Rose in his bed and she had fallen asleep. Buffy was sitting on the bed when Rose opened her eyes. "Hi there."

"I'm sorry." Rose said.

"You went on a murderous rampage. It happens." Buffy joked.

Damon and Elena entered the room quietly. "I'm sorry, Elena." Rose said. "I don't like taking human life. I never have."

"You shouldn't be here." Buffy said, looking at Elena.

"That's the worst part about death... The hunt. The need to kill. The thirst. The pleasure it brings you afterwards." Buffy turned back to Rose. "I wasn't meant to be evil. It hurts."

"Well, then stop talking about it." Damon said. Buffy shot him a glare.

"Damon's a lot like me. He wants to care, but the minute he does, he runs away from it. I'm sorry for what I've done today."

"I know." Elena said.

"And you need to fight. I know that you're scared, but you have to do it anyway." Rose started coughing violently. Elena bent down and put her arm under Rose's neck. "Why are you so nice to me?"

"Us humans." Elena smiled.

"You can never forget it. What it's like to be human. It haunts me. It's the only thing that's kept me going. It doesn't hurt as much anymore." Suddenly Rose closed her eyes and gripped her abdomen and screamed.

Elena looked back at Buffy and Damon. "What do we do?"

Buffy climbed back onto the bed next to Rose and pulled her close. Damon walked up to the other side of her and looked at Buffy. "Go." He said to Elena.

"Damon..."

"Just go. We've got this." Elena turned and rushed out of the room.

"Oh, my God! Make it stop! Make it stop!" Rose cried. Buffy held onto her as she screamed and tossed and turned in pain. "I can't take this anymore, make it stop!" Buffy looked helplessly at Damon, but he just looked at Rose in pity, at a loss he didn't know what else to do. Buffy stroked Rose's hair once she was finally asleep. "Who'd have thought you'd be a nice guy?" Rose asked, keeping her eyes closed.

"I'm not nice." Damon said. "I'm mean. I like it."

"You lie."

"Shh, shh. Just sleep." Buffy whispered.

"You are golden." Rose sighed. "The light inside of you. It's gold. There's so much light in you. You have such a big heart. But you're afraid."

Buffy sighed. "Yes. I am afraid. Apart of me likes the dark. Klaus said that to me once."

"Don't be afraid to love."

"You should sleep." Buffy ran her fingers through Rose's hair gently. Rose fell asleep after a couple of minutes.

"What are you showing her?" Damon asked.

"She's human." Buffy said, looking down at Rose. "Her hair, it's longer and she's in the sun. There's trees and a meadow. And horses. She's happy. It was her favorite place when she was human. She's finally free and happy." Buffy looked up at Damon, tears falling from her eyes. "I don't think I can do it."

Damon walked over to the bed and sat down on the other side of Rose. "I'll do it." Damon said, gently.

Buffy shook her head. "No. I should do it. Klaus and Elijah made her life hell. I should set her free."

Damon nodded in understanding. "Do you want me to help you?" Buffy looked at him and nodded. "All right." Damon handed Buffy the stake. She took it in her hand and slowly positioned it above Rose's heart. Damon wrapped his hand around Buffy's and the stake. "Together." Damon whispered. "On the count of three." Buffy nodded, tears falling down her face. "One... Two..." They shoved the stake in before he said three.

Buffy stared at Rose's body as it began to turn grey and wither. "This shouldn't have happened."

"She can't suffer anymore, Buffy."

"This is all that wolf bitch's fault."

"Buffy..." Damon reached out to touch her, but Buffy bolted from the bed and rushed out of the room. Damon raced after her. He found her in the library.

Buffy was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. She was muttering to herself. "You need to prepare yourself... Apart of you likes the dark... Don't fight it... This is who you were meant to be... Murderer... No, not a murderer... A Vampire... Come back to me... I can still taste it... Don't be afraid... You're a demon!... You're an angel... You're not her!... You're not Buffy!... Stop suppressing your true nature... You are golden... Vampire... Blood... Pain... Fear..." Buffy squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed the sides of her head with both hands.

Damon walked toward her, slowly. "Buffy." He whispered. "Buffy, look at me."

Finally, Buffy opened her eyes and looked at Damon. "Damon?"

"Yeah. What happened?"

Buffy shook her head and sighed. "Klaus."

"What about him?"

"He was in my dream the other night. He... Showed me my first kill."

"That's it?"

"It was my father."

Damon's mouth shut and his eyes widened. "Who... Wow."

"Yeah." Buffy looked away.

"Hey, it's ok. So your first kill was your dad." Damon shrugged. "Stefan's first kill was our dad."

"He wasn't."

"He wasn't what?"

Buffy sighed and turned to face Damon. "My father. He wasn't my real father. That's what he told me. I confronted him. Asked him why he hated me. He said I wasn't his daughter. He told me that my mother cheated on him with his older brother." Buffy laughed bitterly.

"Why would Klaus make you re-live that?"

"I asked him the same thing in my dream."

"Did he answer you?"

Buffy nodded. "He said that I needed to remember who I am. Who I really am. He said that he showed me that night because that is who I was meant to be. A vampire."

Damon looked confused. "But, you are a vampire."

Buffy smiled. "He said that I've been suppressing my true nature. Because I'm not feeding off of people directly. He showed me that night, because he wants me to remember how I felt after. He said that I need to prepare myself."

"For what?"

"To come back to him."

Damon growled. "That's not gonna happen."

"You should, uh... We've got to get rid of the body. Call Liz, let her know that we took care of her vampire problem."

"Buffy..."

"I'm fine, Damon."

"You're not going back to him. Elena is not going to die. He's not going to win."

"We can do this another time."

"Buffy..."

"Damon!" Buffy snapped. She sighed. "I'm sorry. Can we please just... Not. Not now."

Damon nodded. "Yeah. Ok. I'll deal with the body and Liz."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. You just stay here." Damon rushed upstairs before Buffy could say another word.

Rose's words played in her head. 'The hunt. The need to kill. The thirst. The pleasure it brings you afterwards.' Buffy shook her head, trying to clear her mind. 'Don't be afraid to love.' Echoed throughout her mind.

* * *

 _*Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you guys think =)*_


	30. Almost Time

_***Buffy's Dream***_

"What are you doing here?" She asked, not even bothering to turn around.

"I wanted to see you."

"You need to stay out of my head, Klaus."

"You say that like I'm not already there."

"You're not. Not anymore."

"I know better than that, Love. I'm always in your head. I have been since we first met. Just like you're always in mine."

Buffy sighed and turned around to face him. "Please leave."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He shook his head. "I can't leave yet, Love."

"Why not?"

"I want you to see something."

"I don't want to see it. You're going to show me more memories. Memories I do not wish to see."

"Ah, but you need to see them."

Suddenly, they were standing in a room, and in the middle of the room there was a bed. A huge four-poster canopy bed, made of dark mahogany wood. Dark burgundy velvet canopy drapes were pulled back to reveal a woman lying on the bed. Suddenly, the woman sat up and started gasping for air.

Buffy's eyes widened as realization struck her. "Why are we here?"

"Shh..." Klaus held a finger to his lips. "Just watch."

"You're awake." A man said, as he approached the bed.

"What... What did you do to me?" The woman asked.

"Amazing. You're not afraid, just curious."

"Please answer my question. What have you done to me?"

"I killed you."

"I am not a fool."

"No. A fool you are not. You are a goddess. You are beautiful and rare. It would have been a travesty to have let a creature such as you wither and die, perish in this town, in a life you wish to escape."

"What did you do?"

"I have given you exactly what you wanted."

"And what exactly have you given me?"

"A new life. One filled with adventure and excitement. New and exotic lands. Beautiful and wonderful new things. I have given you an entire new world, Love."

"You bit me. I remember... You made me drink..."

"I made you like me."

"Like you?"

"A vampire."

" ... What does that mean exactly?"

He smiled. "You will never grow old. You will never get sick. You will stay young and healthy and beautiful forever. You are stronger and faster now. Oh, Buffy, I cannot wait to show you my world. You just have to say yes."

"Say yes?"

"Yes to becoming a vampire."

Buffy looked at him in confusion. "I thought I was already a vampire."

"Almost. You are in transition."

"Transition?"

Klaus nodded. "Yes. You're almost a vampire. You only need to do one task to complete the transition."

"What must I do?"

"Feed. On human blood."

"And then I will be a vampire?"

"Yes."

"I... I don't know how."

"I will help you."

Buffy looked down at her hands in her lap. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You don't have to, Love. You only have to taste their blood."

"You promise you will help me?"

"I promise. I will show you the world. Forever."

Buffy paused for a moment as she thought everything over. Once she had made her decision she nodded her head. "Yes."

The bed, as well as the Buffy and Klaus who were on it, disappeared. The real Klaus looked over at Buffy. "You see. You chose this. You wanted this. You wanted me. I never forced or compelled you."

"I was a different person back then."

Klaus shook his head. "You're still the same now as you were then. You just refuse to see it."

"What do you want, Klaus? You keep showing up here. Showing me the past. You must want something. So what is it? Hmm? What do you want?"

"I only want one thing. It is all I have ever wanted. All I will ever want."

"No games, Klaus. Tell me what you want."

He looked her in the eyes and without blinking, he answered, "You." He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I only want you. Forever and always."

"Klaus..." Buffy whispered.

"Time to wake up, Love."

 _ ***End Dream***_

* * *

"You brought back John Gilbert?" Damon asked. "That was your big save-Elena move?"

"I went to go look for Isobel, and I got John instead." Stefan explained.

"And you brought him back?" Buffy asked.

"He said he could help us, and we're desperate."

"We're not that desperate, Stefan." Damon hissed. "The guy tried to barbeque me and Buffy."

Buffy nodded her head in agreement. "Exactly! Plus, the fact that he hates all of us! He is a vampire hating dick."

"Guys, Bonnie's new witch friend is working with Elijah, so we have to assume that the moonstone was never destroyed." Stefan said. "Elena is putting all of her faith into some deal that she made with Elijah to keep everyone safe. I mean, do either of you trust Elijah? I don't trust him. He's an original. He can't be trusted. It's not like we can just go up and kill him because apparently, he can't die."

"Still waiting for the part where John Gilbert is the answer." Damon said.

"Yeah, same here." Buffy nodded.

Stefan sighed. "He knew about the sacrifice. Isobel told him. He said that he knew of a way to keep Elena safe."

"Yeah? And how exactly is he going to do that?"

"He's not talking, at least not to me anyway."

"Shocker." Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Great work, Stefan, top notch." Damon sarcastically said. "As if I didn't have enough problems." He turned to walk away.

"Hey, I'm sorry about Rose." Stefan said.

Damon paused and looked back at Stefan. "Whatever. I knew the woman for 5 minutes." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"And you cared about her after 5 minutes, though I wonder what that means."

"It means I care, Stefan. It means I'm changing and evolving into a man capable of greatness. You better watch your back because I may have to go get a hero hairdo of my own and steal your thunder." Damon smirked and walked out of the room.

"Well... He's all bad-moody." Buffy said.

"Yeah... Uh, I'll let you handle that." Stefan smirked.

"Wuss." Buffy rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Where's John?" Damon asked Elena, as he and Buffy walked into her house.

"He's not here. He left." Elena said, closing the door. "I don't know where he went. He just blew in, announced to Jenna that he's my dad, and then took off."

"It's public knowledge now?" Buffy asked.

"Apparently."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Jenna's head is spinning, but I'm ok."

"He say what he was doing here?" Damon asked.

"No. You know, Stefan thinks that he's telling the truth about wanting to help me."

"Do you believe him?" Buffy asked.

Elena shook her head. "No. I don't believe him for a second."

"Neither do we." Damon pointed to Buffy and himself.

"What are we gonna do?"

"Kill him."

"Damon..."

"I'm joking." Buffy shot him a look that said she knew better. Damon sighed. "Ok. I'm a little serious."

"Damon!"

"I'm not gonna hurt him, Elena. I'm the good guy now, remember?"

"What does that mean?"

"Yeah, Damon, what does that mean?" Buffy asked.

"I'm gonna have a civil conversation with Elena's father." Damon explained.

"Wait. I'm coming with you." Elena said, rushing to catch up with Damon. She paused at the door and turned to look at Buffy. "Buffy, you coming?"

"I'll catch up with you guys later." Buffy said, walking past Elena and out the door.

"Wait, you're not coming?" Damon asked.

Buffy sighed. "I need to take care of something."

"Like what?"

"None of your business, Damon."

"But, Buffy, what if Damon kills John?" Elena asked, worridly glancing at Damon.

"Yeah, Buffy. What if I kill John?" Damon asked, mockingly.

"I thought you were the good guy now, remember?" Buffy smirked. "Your words. Not mine."

"But, Buffy..." Elena started.

"Everything will be fine, Elena. Damon's not going to kill John. Ok?" Elena nodded slowly, still unconvinced. "Look, I've got to go. I'll see you two later." And with that she walked away.

* * *

Buffy walked into her room and shut the door. She took out her cell phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found the person she was looking for. She pressed send and held the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" The voice on the other end of the line said.

"Hey, Willow. It's Buffy."

"Hey, Buffy! How's everything in Mystic Falls?"

"That's actually why I'm calling. I need a favor."

"What's the problem, Buff?"

"Klaus. Klaus is the problem. Klaus is always the problem."

"Klaus? Oh goddess, he's not in Mystic Falls is he?"

"Not in the actual, physical sense, no."

"Ok... I'm not understanding."

"He's in my dreams. He just keeps showing up!"

"You're dreaming about Klaus?"

"No! I mean yes. I mean no... Grr... Klaus is in my dreams but I am in no way dreaming about him. He's in my head! He's controlling the dreams... Showing me things... Memories from my past... Our past. And he talks to me. Like he actually talks to me! It's magic. It has to be!"

"I could look into some spells. Find out which ones he could be using to not only access your mind but also control your dreams."

"Yes, please. I can't think straight with him in my head."

"Don't worry, Buffy. Once I find out how he's doing it, I'll try to work up a spell to block him from your mind. No more really real dream Klaus."

"Thank you, Willow. I don't know what I would do without you."

"No worries, Buffy. That's what friends and a super powerful witch are for."

Buffy smiled as she hung up the phone _. 'Hopefully Willow can figure out how to block him from my dreams. Then maybe I'll finally be able to have a dreamless sleep for once!'_

* * *

Buffy was walking down the stairs when her phone started to ring. Without even looking to see who was calling, she answered. "That was fast even for you, Wills."

"Buffy? It's Stefan."

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"Look, something's uh... Something's happened."

Buffy paused at the front door. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"I need you to meet me and Damon."

"Stefan, tell me what's going on."

"It's Caroline."

"Caroline?"

"Jules has her... She's going to kill her if we don't give her Tyler."

"That stupid wolf bitch!"

"Buffy, listen to me. I need you to meet me and Damon in the woods. Near the clearing by Wickery Falls. Do not go off by yourself, Buffy. We do this together. Got it?"

"Got it." She hung up the phone and used her vampire speed to rush out of the house.

* * *

Jules was standing alone in front of the camper. She looked around and sniffed. "I know you're out there." She called out.

Stefan walked out of the shadows and into the clearing with Tyler. "Where's Caroline?"

"Locked up tight."

"Let her go and I'll release Tyler. It doesn't have to get any messier than it already has. I'm not your enemy, Jules."

"It's a little late to be waving a white flag, don't you think?"

"You need to leave town. No one else has to get hurt."

"I'm not leaving without Tyler."

"Tyler's free to make his own decisions. As soon as you release Caroline."

"My brother the peacemaker." Damon said, as he and Buffy stepped into the clearing.

"What happened to _'Do not go off by yourself, Buffy. We do this together.'_ Huh, Stefan?" Buffy asked angrily.

"Can we not do this right now?" Stefan asked, motioning to Jules.

"Since Stefan got here before us, we're gonna let him try it his way before we resort to our way, which is a little bloodier. So give us Caroline." Damon said.

"Let go of Tyler." Jules demanded.

"Give us Caroline." Buffy ordered. "Wow. You really don't listen do you? You were told to leave town on more than one occasion, and yet here you are. Give us Caroline. Without a full moon, it's not an even fight and you know it. We'll take you."

Jules smirked. "I'm not so sure about that." She whistled loudly and suddenly they were surrounded by werewolves, and they were all carrying weapons. "Let's try this again. Give us Tyler."

Damon looked over at Tyler. "You heard her. Go. Get over there."

Tyler walked over and joined Jules. "Which one of you killed Mason?" One of the werewolves asked.

"Uh, that'd be me." Damon answered.

"I helped." Buffy added. "Well, maybe not helped completely. I watched." She smirked.

"Boys, make sure those two suffer." The werewolf said.

Damon grinned nervously and looked at Buffy. "We can take them."

Stefan looked around at the group of werewolves and shook his head. "I don't know about that."

Buffy cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. "We can take them." She grinned, excitement and adrenaline pumping through her system at the thought of the coming fight.

"Well then..." Damon ran toward Jules, but she anticipated the attack, and jumped onto the RV and did a backflip off of the top, landing behind Damon.

One of the Were's turned on a flame-thrower and aimed it at Stefan. Stefan rushed him and overpowered him, snapping his neck. Tyler ran inside the RV, trying to get away. One of the Were's tried to jump on Damon but he ripped his heart out. One Were tried to shoot Buffy with a crossbow bolt, she caught the bolt before it could reach her heart and rushed the Were, she grabbed onto his head and twisted, snapping his neck. Stefan stabbed one Were who ran at him, in the stomach with a stake. Another Were shot a bolt at Stefan, Buffy caught it midair before it could reach him. She tossed the bolt and hit the Were in the neck, killing him. Buffy Backhanded another Were, he went flying through the air and hit a tree, hard. A loud snap could be heard as his spine broke.

Stefan fell to the ground as one Were drove a stake through his back. Buffy ran full force toward the Were and drove a stake through his heart, killing him. She looked over to see Damon fighting with the werewolf that had threatened her and Damon. He managed to get the Were on his back, and was about to kill him but Jules arrived and shot him with a wooden bullet. Buffy ran at Jules and tackled her to the ground. She got on top of her and punched her in the face. Jules managed to get the gun between them and shot Buffy in the stomach. She kicked Buffy off of her and stood up, shooting Buffy in the chest.

"I'm so going to kill you." Buffy groaned out, as she rolled over onto her hands and knees.

Caroline suddenly stepped out of the RV, Jules slammed her against the side of the camper and put the gun to the back of her head. Everyone froze. Tyler appeared in the doorway of the RV and looked at Caroline. The Were that Damon had tried to kill before Jules shot him, stood up and grabbed the stake that was lying on the ground next to him. He aimed the stake at Damon's heart, and was about to drive it through, when suddenly he screamed in pain and grabbed his head. Jules dropped the gun and grabbed her head as well.

"What's happening?" Caroline asked.

"What the hell's going on?" Tyler wondered.

One of the witches working for Elijah walked out of the woods, his hands out in front of him as he cast his spell. Stefan stood up and looked at him questioningly. "Elijah made a promise to Elena. I'm here to see it's upheld." Jonas said. "You need to go. Get out of here. Now." Stefan helped Caroline, as Buffy helped Damon stand up. They all looked at Jonas as they walked out of the clearing.

* * *

Buffy was pacing around her room. She couldn't calm down. Jules had kidnapped Caroline, shot Damon and shot her. And that bitch was still alive! She could feel the blood rushing to her eyes as her face started to change. She closed her eyes, and took deep breaths. _'No. You're not going to do this.'_ She clenched her fists. _'Calm down.'_ She opened her eyes and looked into the mirror. Her usual green was replaced with bright silver. "What's happening to me?" She asked out loud.

* * *

 _ ***Somewhere away from Mystic Falls***_

"It's almost time. My Buffy is almost ready to come back to me." Klaus grinned.

* * *

 ** _*I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading. Let me know what you guys think!=)*_**


	31. The Real Deal

"So let me get this straight, John Gilbert gave you this to kill Elijah?" Buffy asked, pointing to the dagger.

"Yes." Damon nodded. "He said that you have to dip the dagger in the remains of an old white ash tree that dates back to the Originals, if there's any truth in that."

"So you think it's a setup?" Alaric asked.

"It could be. Guy's a weasel."

"It could be? This is John Gilbert that we're talking about. He's the president of the 'We hate vampires' club. Add it up and it all spells duh." Buffy said.

"Buffy, how come you don't know anything about this dagger?" Alaric asked.

"What do you mean? Why would I know anything about it?"

"Well you know Elijah. And you said that Klaus made you."

"So? What's your point?" She narrowed her eyes.

"You should know something about it. You spent how many years with Klaus? And yet you know nothing about how to kill them." Damon said. "Don't you find that odd?"

"Are you saying that you think I'm hiding something?"

"Well..."

"No." Alaric said, glaring at Damon. "We're not saying that."

"Are you hiding something?" Damon asked.

"I don't know anything about how to kill an original." Buffy growled.

"We believe you." Alaric said. "Don't we, Damon?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Sure. Anyway, what are you up to today, MR. Saltzman?"

"Well, Jenna and I were supposed to go to her family's lake house but somehow, we both got roped into doing this historical society thing at the Lockwoods."

"Where Elijah's the guest of honor."

"Tell me you're not gonna kill him at the tea party."

Damon scoffed. "No. That would be stupid." Both Buffy and Alaric shot pointed looks at him. "I want to know his endgame before I kill him, but I do think it's time Elijah and I officially met."

"Oh, not good." Buffy groaned.

* * *

"Tell me again why I'm here." Buffy said, agitated.

"I want to officially meet Elijah." Damon explained.

"And you need me here because...?"

Damon sighed. "Because you already know him. And you're good company."

"Uh-Huh." She said, clearly not believing his reasoning.

"Damon." Carol Lockwood called out.

"Carol." Damon said, walking toward her.

"What a surprise."

"Hi. Carol, you remember my friend, Buffy."

"Yes."

"Nice to see you again." Buffy said.

"Elijah, I want you to meet Damon Salvatore." Carol said, completely ignoring Buffy. "His family is one of Mystic Falls' founding families."

"Mm-Hmm." Damon said. "Such a pleasure to meet you."

"No. Pleasure's all mine." Elijah said. "Nice to see you again, Buffy."

"Hello, Elijah." Buffy forced herself to say.

"You two know each other?" Carol asked.

"Yes. Buffy and I go back many years." Elijah explained, never taking his eyes off of Buffy.

"Yes, we do." Buffy nodded.

* * *

Damon nodded toward an empty room and walked inside, Buffy and Elijah followed. Once the door was closed, Elijah turned to Damon. "What can I do for you, Damon?"

"I was hoping we could have a word." Damon said.

"Where's Elena?"

"She's safe with Stefan." Buffy said.

"They're laying low, you know. Bit of a werewolf problem." Damon explained.

"Oh, yeah. I heard about that." Elijah nodded.

"I'm sure you did, since it was your witch that saved the day."

"You are welcome."

"Which adds to my confusion on exactly why you're here."

"Why don't you just stay focused on keeping Elena safe and leave the rest to me."

"Not good enough."

Elijah grabbed Damon by the throat and pinned him to the wall. "You young vampires, so arrogant."

"Elijah, stop!" Buffy cried out.

Elijah ignored Buffy and continued to focus on Damon. "How dare you come in here and challenge me?"

"You can't kill me, man." Damon choked out. "It's not part of the deal."

"Silence." Elijah grabbed a pencil off of the desk behind him and stabbed Damon in the neck. Damon cried out in pain. Elijah let go of him and started to clean the blood off of his hands. "I'm an original. Show a little respect. The moment you cease to be of use to me, you're dead, so you should do what I say. Keep Elena safe."

Once Elijah had left the room, Buffy rushed over to Damon. "Are you ok?" She asked.

"Do I look ok? Guy stabbed me with a freakin' pencil!" Damon cried out.

"We need to get you home." Buffy grabbed ahold of his hand. "Come on."

* * *

"Today was a bust." Damon groaned.

"Yeah. How's the throat?" Alaric asked.

"Sore."

"Yeah. That Elijah's one scary dude, but with nice hair."

"He's gonna be hard to kill."

"Yeah. I'd think twice before I'd trust that dagger and some ashes to do the job. You're gonna need more info."

"I'm out of sorces."

"You were incredibly stupid today." Buffy said as she entered the room. "What were you thinking?"

"I don't know."

"I've got to go. I've got to pick Jenna up." Alaric said. "Don't worry. I'll, uh, show myself out." He rushed out of the room.

"Elijah is an original. He is 100 times stronger than you. He could kill you with no effort at all. And you just had to challenge him!" Buffy pointed to Damon.

Before Damon could respond, there was a loud crash. Both Buffy and Damon ran out of the room and found Alaric standing in the hallway with a stake in his stomach. Suddenly, a werewolf jumped Damon and stabbed him in the neck with a vervain syringe. Buffy ran over to help Damon but another werewolf jumped out and tried to stab her with a syringe. Buffy kicked the syringe out of his hand and backhanded him into a wall. She started back toward Damon, when another werewolf shot her in the back with a crossbow bolt. Buffy groaned in pain as she realized that the bolt was covered in vervain. She rushed the wolf and grabbed the crossbow out of his hands. "Ah!" She cried out, as she threw the crossbow away from her and looked down at her burnt hands.

"Vervain." The wolf explained. He kicked the crossbow toward another werewolf behind Buffy. The wolf picked it up and shot her in the back again and again.

"Ah!" Buffy cried out, as she fell to her knees. The wolf in front of her stabbed her in the neck with a vervain syringe. Buffy swayed, but she refused to go down. She started to stand back up.

"Damn. Charlie, hit her again." The wolf in front of her called out to the one behind her. The wolf behind her shot her in the shoulder with another bolt. He then shot her again in the back of her leg. Buffy fell to her knees again. "Damn, she's strong." The wolf in front of her pulled out two more syringes and injected them into her neck. The world went black.

* * *

As Buffy started to wake up, the first thing that she noticed was that she was chained to a chair in the library. The chains wrapped around most of her body, starting at her shoulders and ending at her ankles. She also had a very thick metal collar wrapped around her neck. The collar had at least 10 or more wooden stakes attatched to it, and they were currntly embedded in her neck, causing blood to flow freely from the wounds. The second thing that she noticed was that the chains were enhanced and they had been soaked in vervain. The third thing she noticed was Damon. He was still unconscious and chained to a chair of his own, directly across from her. He also had a stake collar around his neck and he was bleeding badly. Buffy looked down at the floor and saw a very dead Alaric. She quickly searched his hands for his ring and sighed in relief once she had spotted it. She glanced back at Damon as he started to wake up. "Damon." She whispered as quietly as she could. "Damon, come on. Wake up."

Damon glanced up at Buffy. "Buffy? What's going on?" He asked.

"Shh... I don't know. We were attacked. Do you remember that?"

Damon tried to nod his head yes, but the collar restricted a bit of his movement. "Ah!" He hissed in pain. "Damn! Yes, I remember. Damn werewolves."

The werewolf that had jumped Damon walked into the room. "Morning, Sunshine." He grinned maliciously. He walked closer to Damon and picked up the chain that was attatched to Damon's collar. He looked over at Buffy and said, " I saw this movie once, some torture porn flick. Anyway, they had this collar device that was really cool, so I just modified it some with some wooden nails, and when I pull..." He pulled on the chains causing the nails to dig deeper into Damon's throat.

"Errr!" Damon groaned in pain.

"So I hear you have the moonstone." Jules said, as she entered the room.

Damon laughed. "Oh, if you only knew the irony of this moment right now. Let me tell you how this is gonna go. You're gonna torture us, we're not gonna talk, someone loses a heart. Last time, it was your boy Mason."

"This time, it will be you." Jules nodded to the wolf holding the chain and he pulled on the collar. Buffy clenched her fist as Jules continued. "You know what the great thing about buckshot is? It scatters through the body, maximum damage." She held the shotgun in front of her.

"Is that so?" Buffy asked. "Well then, why don't you do us all a favor, yourself included, and shoot yourself in the head. That way I don't have to listen to you drone on and on anymore." She smirked.

Jules pumped the shotgun and turned to face Buffy. "You first, Sweetie." She fired the gun, shooting Buffy in the stomach.

"Ah! Fuck!" Buffy screamed in pain.

Damon strained against his chains, trying to break free. "You bitch!" He growled.

"Where's the moonstone?" Jules asked.

"Get over it, Honey. You're never gonna get it."

"I swear I will rip you apart! Piece by fucking piece!" Buffy growled.

"Where is the moonstone?!" Jules screamed.

"You looking for this?" Everyone turned to see Elijah casually leaning against the doorway, the moonstone in his hand.

"Elijah?" Buffy whispered.

He walked over and sat the stone down on the table. He backed up a few steps. "Go ahead. Take it." He said calmly. One werewolf ran toward Elijah, but Elijah was quicker and he ripped the wolf's heart out. Two more tried to rush him at the same time, but they met the same fate. Jules started to panic and ran. The wolf that held Damon's chains, dropped them, got down on the ground and tried to hide under his coat. "What about you, Sweetheart, hmm?" He pulled the wolf up by his coat. "You want to take a shot?" The wolf shook his head no. "No? Yes? No? Where's the girl?"

"I don't know." Damon said, shrugging.

"That cowardly bitch ran away." Buffy replied angrily.

"It doesn't really matter." Elijah punched the werewolf in the face, causing his neck to snap. "Are you all right?" He asked Buffy.

"I hate buckshot!" She growled. Elijah went to her and removed her chains and collar. He then removed Damon's chains as well. "I guess I should say thank you."

"So you realize this is the third time I've saved your life now?" Elijah asked while looking at Damon. "She needs to feed." He pointed to Buffy. Before anyone could say anything else, he walked over to the table, picked up the moonstone and left.

Damon ripped his collar off and rushed over to Buffy. "Let me help you upstairs. We'll get you cleaned up and fed."

"I'm fine. I don't need you to baby me, Damon." She brushed away his hands and stood up. As soon as she stood up, she started to sway and Damon caught her.

"Clearly you're fine." He said sarcastically. "Buffy, you were shot in the gut with buckshot. We have to get that out of you. Not to mention that between that and your neck wound you've lost a ton of blood. You're weak right now. Just let me help you."

Buffy relented. "Fine. You wanna help? You can play doctor and dig this buckshot out of my gut. I can manage the rest."

"This isn't going to be easy."

"No shit. But what am I, if not a woman up to a challenge?"

* * *

Later that night, once Buffy had fed and cleaned up, she went downstairs to help clean up the mess. She found Damon in the library on his cell phone. He looked up as she entered the room. 'Bonnie.' He mouthed and pointed to the phone. "So he planned to kill her all along."

Buffy listened to hear Bonnie's response. "Yeah. The sacrifice is part of Elijah's plan." Bonnie said.

"Got it loud and clear." Damon hung up. "Feeling any better?" He asked Buffy.

"I'm peachy with a side of keen." Buffy answered. "So Elena's deal with Elijah isn't 100%, huh?"

"Nope. She's still a sacrifice." Suddenly, Alaric woke up with a groan. "Finally. You missed all the fun."

"How long was I out?" Alaric asked.

"Awhile." Buffy answered. "You should probably call Jenna."

Alaric grabbed his phone and dialed Jenna's number. "There you are." Jenna said. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, sorry. I... I... I've just been grading papers." Alaric lied. "Honestly, uh... I fell asleep. I'm sorry. Jenna, I'm a jerk."

"No. It's fine. I'm just glad you're ok."

"Sorry. Tomorrow I'm all yours, ok?"

"Sure. Sounds great."

"All right. Good night, Jenna."

"Good night."

* * *

"So I think that we need to have a word with Elena." Buffy said.

"I called Stefan. Let him know what the witch found out. He's on top of it." Damon said.

"I still think we should talk to her. Elijah is many things, but he's not a liar."

"So... What are you saying? You think Elena's known that she's still a sacrifice this whole time?"

"Maybe. I don't know. That's why we should talk to her. Find out."

"I agree."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think! =)**


	32. Dead Things Should Stay Dead

_***Buffy's Dream***_

Buffy was running. The grass was soft and cool beneath her bare feet. The wind caused her long blonde tresses to trail behind her. She slowed down once she reached the edge of the woods. She looked around her, and spotted a grand oak tree. She hid behind it, and she cautiously peaked around the side of the tree, searching through the forest. _'Where did he go?'_ She thought to herself.

"I will find you, Love" He called out.

She couldn't see him though, and his voice sounded far away. _'He was right behind me.'_

"Why are we hiding?"

Buffy jumped and spun around. "Elijah! You startled me." She hissed.

Elijah smiled. "You do not startle easily. What are you doing out here?"

"I'm hiding from Klaus." She whispered.

"Why would you do that? You two are usually inseparable."

Buffy giggled. "We're playing a game. If he manages to find me, I lose. If he cannot find me, I win."

"I see. And how is it going so far?"

"Well, I seem to have lost track of him."

"Found you!"

"Ah!" Buffy cried, as she turned around and came face to face with Klaus.

"I win, Love." Klaus smirked.

"That is not fair." Buffy pouted. "You had Elijah distract me."

"Cheer up, Love. No matter where you are, I will always find you."

"Promise?"

"On my life."

 _ ***End Buffy's Dream***_

* * *

Buffy walked downstairs and into the library, where Damon was on the phone. "I did hear one piece of good news, though." Damon said. "Tyler Lockwood ran away from home last night."

"How do you know?" Buffy asked.

Damon turned around to look at her. "Stefan, I'm going to put you on speaker phone. Buffy just walked in." He put the phone on speaker phone and sat it down on the table. "As I was saying, I heard it from Sheriff Forbes, who heard it from a very distraught Carol Lockwood, thus ending our werewolf chapter, bringing us to..."

"Killing Elijah." Stefan said.

"Exactly."

"Well, it's not going to be easy. He's crafty."

"Well, I've got a crafty little dagger. Plus Buffy."

"Well, he's an original. We don't know all that encompasses."

"Oh, trust me, Stefan. I'm gonna dot all my T's. I don't want any surprises."

"Wow, Damon, tell me you're actually gonna be careful for once."

"Yes, Stefan, I've become you." Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm tragic for both of us. Got to run. I've a murder to plan. Busy day." Damon hung up the phone.

"How's Stefan doing?" Buffy asked.

"He's fine."

"Did you tell him about Elena?"

"No."

"We're going to have to tell him."

"I know."

* * *

"You did what?!" Buffy screeched.

Damon sighed. "I invited Elijah to dinner."

Buffy shook her head in disbelief. "What... Ok, you invited him to dinner here? Here?! Where you plan to kill him? Or at least attempt to kill him because let's face it, you don't even know if that dagger is going to work!"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you don't want me to kill Elijah." Damon shot her an accusing look.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable." She turned to walk away.

"Buffy..." Damon started, causing her to stop.

"Elijah was a big part of my past. I know how strong he is, Damon. Just... Be careful."

* * *

Buffy sat in the middle of her bed. She held the phone up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Willow, hey, it's Buffy."

"Buffy, hey."

"Any luck on the Klaus front?"

Willow sighed. "Not so much. I'm sorry. "He's got some heavy mojo working for him. I'm powerful and all, but I've never seen spells like these. This is seriously dark magic, Buffy."

"I was afraid of that."

"I know that's not what you wanted to hear. I'll keep trying though."

"Thanks, Willow."

"No problem."

As Buffy ended the call, she fell back onto her bed and closed her eyes. _'He's never going to leave me alone.'_ She thought. Somewhere deep down inside of her, another voice added, _'Do you really want him to?'_

* * *

"So what's going on with you and Alaric?" Buffy asked Jenna, as they were setting the table for dinner. _'Stupid dinner party idea.'_ She thought. "I feel like there's some tension."

"I don't know." Jenna said. "I really like him. It's more than like and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel that he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him."

"Like what?"

"Things I don't want to believe. Things I don't believe, not if they're coming from John's mouth."

"Good call." Buffy nodded in approval. "Trust is the key to any relationship. Trust me, Alaric is one of the good ones. Just give him some time."

Jenna smiled. "You're right."

* * *

"This is a bad idea." Buffy called out as she entered the library.

"There's no such thing as a bad idea." Damon argued. "Just poorly executed awesome ones. Here." He said, handing her a drink.

Buffy took the drink and downed it in one gulp. "No, no. I don't like the idea of Elijah being here."

"This is just a fact finding mission. It's totally harmless."

"Just a fact finding mission."

"Yeah."

"Yeah, okay." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Listen, no sneak attacks. No surprise plans. Nothing that's gonna put Jenna or Alaric in harm's way. Ok?"

"Scout's honor."

"Yeah, like you were ever a scout."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Buffy made her way over to the door and opened it. "Who invited him?" She called out as John walked into the house.

"John. Surprise. Leave." Damon said.

"When Jenna told me she was coming to a dinner party for Elijah, I decided I couldn't miss out on all the fun and games." John answered, unfazed by Damon's comment.

"There are not going to be any games tonight. Right, Damon?" Buffy shot a look towards Damon.

"Right. It's just a friendly dinner party." Damon grinned.

* * *

"Good evening." Elijah greeted once Damon had opened the door.

"Thank you for coming. Please, come in." Damon stepped aside, allowing Elijah to enter.

"Just one moment. Can I just say that if you have anything less then honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider."

"No, nothing, nothing dishonorable. Just getting to know you."

"Hmm. Well, that's good. Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal, if you so much as make a move to cross me I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house, except Buffy. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Buffy." Elijah smiled affectionately as she entered the room. "Wonderful to see you again. How are you?"

"Nice to see you, Elijah." Buffy replied.

"You look incredible."

"Thank you."

* * *

Once they were all seated at the table, Jenna began to pour the wine. "I hate to break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah, your family is so not a founder of this town."

"Hmm, do tell." Damon urged.

"Well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690's." Elijah explained. "Over the next hundred years they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution."

"Hmm. Because they were witches." Jenna added skeptically.

"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, um, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire. Could you pass the..." Elijah pointed to a dish on the table.

"I wouldn't repeat this to the historical society." Jenna commented.

"It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me." John added.

"So why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" Damon asked.

"You know... A healthy historian's curiosity, of course." Elijah answered.

"Of course."

"Buffy, this meal is delicious."

"Thank you, Elijah. Jenna did most of the work though." Buffy nodded to Jenna.

"Would anyone care for some cognac?" Damon asked. "I have a bottle I've been saving for ages."

"Yes, please." Buffy said, a little too eagerly.

"None for me, thanks. Nine bottles of wine is my limit." Alaric said.

"Alaric, will you help me clean up, please." Jenna asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Alaric nodded.

"Let's take our drinks in the study." Damon suggested.

Before Buffy walked into the study, her phone started to ring. "Hello?" She answered. "Slow down, slow down. Stefan?"

* * *

"Gentlemen, we forgot about dessert." Buffy announced, as she walked into the library.

"Elijah." Jenna called out from the kitchen.

"Excuse me." Elijah said, as he walked out of the room.

Damon threw his hands up in the air and shot a questioning look towards Buffy. Buffy walked over to one of the tables in the library and quickly jotted something down on a piece of paper. She handed the paper to Damon. 'The dagger will kill you if you use it.' He read silently to himself. He crumpled the paper up and motioned for her to follow him into the dinning room.

* * *

"Sorry, guys, dessert is taking longer then I thought." Jenna said apologetically. "I usually just unwrap food." Jenna walked back into the kitchen.

"Buffy, do you remember those homemade cherry pies that you used to bake?" Elijah asked, looking right into her eyes.

Nodding her head, Buffy replied. "Yes. That was... That was a long time ago."

"Yes, it was. You used to add a special ingredient though. Do you remember that?" All of the color drained from Buffy's face. Not giving her time to answer, Elijah continued. "I remember it was a thick, red liquid. What was that? It just added something extra to the pie. Made them, dare I say, to die for."

"Elijah, did John tell you that he's Elena's uncle/father?" Damon interrupted.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that."

"Of course, she hates him, so there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list."

"What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how you intend on killing Klaus?" John asked.

"There's a few things we should probably get clear right now." Elijah said. "I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house living her life with her friends as she does as a courtesy. If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you and you'll never see her again."

Suddenly, Alaric plunged the dagger through Elijah's chest from behind. Elijah screamed in pain and then desiccated. "Now get rid of him before Jenna comes back with dessert." Alaric ordered, as he sat the dagger down in front of Damon.

"All right." Damon nodded.

* * *

"Now you said there wasn't going to be any violence." Damon said, looking at Buffy as they dropped Elijah's body in the cellar.

"Hey, Alaric did all the killing."

"He saw an opening and he took it."

"Something still doesn't feel right to me."

"What do you mean?"

"This just feels too easy. You know? I just get the feeling that this isn't over."

* * *

"So, Elijah is actually dead this time?" Buffy asked Damon once he returned from the lake house where Stefan and Elena had been staying.

"Yup, we left the dagger in this time." Damon nodded. "Elena wants to do things her way from now on."

"Huh." Buffy paused a moment. "Stefan is with Elena at her house right?"

"Yeah, why?"

Before he even knew what was happening, Buffy sped up the stairs and opened Damon's bedroom door, Damon was right behind her. "Why is my shower running?"

"That's what I's like to know." They both walked towards the bathroom and paused at the open door.

"Hello, Damon. Buffy." Katherine smiled smugly as she exited the shower. "Hey, do you have a robe?"

"How did you get out?" Damon asked, completely dumbfounded.

"That's what I'd like to know." Buffy growled.

Katherine smirked. "I knew that if I begged you not to kill Elijah, that's exactly what you'd do. Typical Damon. Little known fact, originals can compel vampires. But as soon as they die, the compulsion wears off."

"And you knew?" Damon questioned.

"And I'm still here."

"Yippee for us." Buffy added dryly.

"I didn't run." Katherine stated. "I meant what I said, Damon. I'm going to help you. So... How about that robe?"

* * *

 _ ***Buffy's Dream***_

Buffy was lying in the grass, staring up at the sky. "What are you doing?" Elijah asked, staring down at her.

"Watching the clouds." Bufy smiled up at him. "Join me."

Elijah was happy to comply, as he stretched out beside of her. "Where's Klaus?"

"He said that he had something important to do. He shouldn't be long. Why, do you no like spending time with me?"

"I always like spending time with you, Buffy." He reassured her. "We are friends, you and I."

Buffy smiled. "Yes, we are. Sometimes I feel as thought you're my only friend. Klaus is becoming distant."

"Everything will be perfectly 'll see. Klaus loves you."

"I know that." She said, trying to reassure herself more that Elijah.

"Hey." He paused, waiting for her to look at him. "I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

"Thank you, Elijah. That means... More than you know."

"So," Elijah started, trying to change the subject. "We're looking at the clouds are we?"

 _ ***End Dream***_


End file.
